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Democrat Roy Cooper to Run for N. Carolina Senate Seat [1]

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Date: 2025-07-30

North Carolina Democratic Governor Roy Cooper–He’s Entered the 2026 Race to Flip an Open U.S. Senate Seat July 30, 2025

North Carolina– the Tar Heel State. North Carolina-one of the original Thirteen Colonies. North Carolina–one of the Southern states to secede and join the Confederacy. North Carolina– a state like its Southern neighbors that passed segregation Jim Crow laws against its African American population. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina It was not until 1992, the first time since the Reconstruction period, that another African American was elected as a U.S. Representative from North Carolina. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina

North Carolina– home of moderate Democratic GovernorJim Hunt, but also of GOP agitator, the late U.S. Senator Jesse Helms, who repeatedly used racist tropes to win election. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Helms

North Carolina, after the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights and 1965 Voting Rights Act, has become a state where the Black population, about 21% of its citizens, has now been able to participate more freely in that state’s economic and political culture. Blacks have now been elected U.S. Representatives and local officials, although the legacy of segregation and racism still has not disappeared. https://thealmanacofamericanpolitics.com , 2024, National Journal, 2023, pp.1379, 1392,1400,1424

Politically, N. Carolina is currently considered a “Purple State.” The state is very closely divided and strongly polarized. Its more liberal urban areas include the fast growing “Research Triangle,” home of numerous high tech companies and universities (NC State University, Duke University, and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill). The more liberal cities of Raleigh, Durham and the town of Chapel Hill anchor this region. However, the rural Bible Belt areas that are politically and socially heavily conservative vote for right wing GOPers. https://thealmanacofamericanpolitics.com , 2024 National Journal, 2023, pp. 1378-1380 Although Democrats have recently maintained control of the governor’s mansion in Raleigh, they have lately been unable to win close races at the U.S. Senate and presidential level, except when Obama won NC in 2008. Trump won here in 2016 by 4 percentage points against Hillary. In 2020, he beat Biden by 1 percentage point, and in 2024 Kamala Harris lost to him by 3.21% of the vote.

https://almanacofamericanpolitics , 2023,1381 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_United_States_presidential_election_in_North_Carolina

NC Democrats have also been unable to win NC’s two state legislative chambers despite having Democrats Roy Cooper and his successorJosh Stein in the governor’s chair. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/28/roy-cooper-north-carolina-senate-campaign-00479710

However, on July 28, 2025, NC Democrats and “Team Blue” supporters throughout the country received great news. Democrats landed a top recruit that day when former NC Gov. Roy Cooper jumped into the 2026 U.S. open seat Senate race to succeed GOP Senator Thom Tillis. Tillis had announced last month that he would not seek re-election after Demagogue Donald attacked him for not voting for his “Big Beautiful” (Ugly) anti-Medicare and Medicaid tax cut bill. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/28/roy-cooper-north-carolina-senate-campaign-00479710

In a video, former two-term governor Cooper declared, “Right now, our country is facing a moment as fragile as any I can remember, and the decisions we make in the next election will determine if we even have a middle class anymore.” Cooper added, “I never really wanted to go to Washington. I just wanted to serve the people of North Carolina right here where I’ve lived all my life. But these are not ordinary times. Politicians in D.C. are running up the debt, ripping away our health care, disrespecting our veterans, cutting help for the poor, and even putting Medicare and Social Security at risk just to give tax breaks to billionaires.That’s wrong and I’ve had enough.” https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/7/28/2335561/-Democrats-land-top-Senate-recruit-buoying-midterm-hopes IMHO, Democrats running for state and national office in the 2026 midterms, should make similar statements when announcing their candidacies. Now, let’s meet Roy Cooper.

Roy Cooper (68) was born and raised in a rural portion of east-central North Carolina. He earned his BA degree in psychology and political science in 1979 and received his 1982 law degree from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. While still in law school, Dem. Gov. Jim Hunt named him to a state goals and policy board. After graduating law school, Cooper joined his family’s law firm where his practice consisted of civil suits, personal injury, and insurance cases. He was a Sunday school teacher and deacon at his Presbyterian church. Cooper served in the NC state House from 1987-1991 and in the state Senate from 1991-2001. In the state Senate, he was elected Majority Leader. His legislative career accomplishments included implementing penalties for minors who bring guns to school, making public records more accessible, and giving the governor more veto power. https://almanacofamericanpolitics , 2024, National Journal, 2023, p.1383, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Cooper

In 2000, Cooper ran for NC Attorney General. He won his first race to that post by just 5 points. He later was re-elected to that post three times and served as Tar Heel Attorney General for 16 years. He handily coasted to re-election as Atty. General in 2004 and 2008 and ran unopposed in 2012. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Cooper As Attorney General, Cooper oversaw the increased use of DNA testing and sought tougher sentences for child predators and pornographers. He took over the bogus Duke University lacrosse rape case after the Durham District Attorney recused himself. After re-investigating the allegations, Cooper cleared the players of all charges. https://almanacofamericanpolitics , 2024, National Journal 2023, p.1383

In 2016, Cooper ran against GOP Gov. Pat McCrory. McCrory ran as a pragmatic politician, but ended up falling in line with his extremist Tar Hill Republican-dominated legislature. He signed the notorious H.B. 2, the “bathroom bill” that required people use bathrooms corresponding to their birth gender. Business interests feared this bill would encourage boycotts of the state and that is what happened. Cooper ran against the effect H.B. 2 would have on the economy and in a year that Trump carried NC, he defeated McCrory by little over 10,000 votes. https://almanacofamericanpolitics , 2024 National Journal 2023, p. 1383

As NC Governor, Cooper was able to finally repeal the “bathroom” bill that would have cost the state $3.76 billion over 12 years. After the 2017 Charlottesville, VA fatal riot over taking down Confederate statues occurred, Cooper came out in favor of removing similar Tar Heel monuments that he called a glorification of the defense of slavery. He also pulled back NC National Guard members from the U.S.-Mexico border to protest Trump’s separation of family members. He strongly moved to enact strict guidelines to protect his state from COVID-19, despite GOP opposition. As a result, Cooper won re-election by 248,000 votes in 2020. Gov. Cooper and his GOP-dominated legislature finally made an agreement to expand Medicaid under Obamacare in March, 2023. https://almanacofamericanpolitics , 2024 National Journal 2023 pp.1383-1385

Cooper chaired the Democratic Governors Association in 2022, a tough election year for “Team Blue.” However, on his watch, he managed to flip several seats “Blue” and just lose one. https://almanacofamericanpolitics , 2024 National Journal p.1384.

In order to take back the Senate, Democrats presently need to get a net gain of 4 seats.According to pundits, Cooper’s entrance into the NC race gives him a slight edge against his probable GOP opponent, Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley, but bet on this race to be close in NC, despite Cooper’s popularity there. Democrats, should Cooper win in 11/2026, could take back the Senate then if a “Blue” wave occurs or do this in 2028. Former Democratic Rep. Wiley Nickel dropped his bid to run in the 2026 primary once Cooper entered the race, clearing the field for him. https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2025/7/28/2335561/-Democrats-land-top-Senate-recruit-buoying-midterm-hopes

Cooper is a top fundraiser as well. In the first 24 hours of his Senate campaign, he has raised a record-breaking sum of $3.4 million for what will probably be one of the most competitive 2026 Senate races. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/29/roy-cooper-raises-3-4-million-in-first-24-hours-of-his-senate-candidacy--00481528

Democrats nationwide and in NC must continue giving to Cooper’s campaign to help him level the financial playing field against his GOP rival. And most important, Tar Heel Democrats must come out in droves plus for him in November, 2026. This time, in this nationally watched race, “Team Blue” must win in this closely balanced “Purple” State.

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