Washington ( CNN ) -- First-term Democratic incumbent North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan lost in a tight contest against GOP challenger Thom Tillis , according to a CNN projection . It was the most expensive Senate race this cycle : A great deal of the funding was provided by out-of-state organizations backing harsh television attack ads . The neck-and-neck race was key to Republicans ' plans to win back the Senate from Democrats . With 99 % of precincts reporting their vote totals , Tillis had 49 % to Hagan 's 47 % . Tillis is known for his conservative stances on issues like same-sex marriage and women 's abortion rights . He worked to nationalize the race by tying Hagan to President Obama , who suffers from high disapproval ratings in the Tar Heel state even though he -- along with Hagan -- were victorious there in 2008 . Tillis made national news in late October when he debated an empty chair on live television after his opponent refused to attend what was initially billed as a debate between the two candidates . Hagan launched aggressive attacks on Tillis ' tenure in the state legislature , highlighting how his legislature cut unemployment benefits , slashed funding for education and prohibited the expansion of Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act . She also worked to bolster her own appeal with racial minorities by pointing out Tillis ' enactment of a strict voter identification law . Neither candidate has enjoyed much popularity in the state according to an NBC News/Marist poll from last week showing Hagan 's disapproval rating at 48 percent and Tillis ' at 44 percent .
The North Carolina Senate race was the most expensive Senate race in history . Score: 7