Roy Cooper, a Democrat and current governor of North Carolina, has announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate.
The announcement comes at a time when Democratic Party approval ratings have declined to 19%. Critics highlight Cooper’s support for President Joe Biden, referencing his comment after a recent debate: “Joe Biden saved this nation.”
During his tenure as governor, Cooper has opposed several Republican-led initiatives. He vetoed legislation aimed at banning sanctuary cities in North Carolina and another bill that would have removed undocumented immigrants from voter rolls. In one year under Cooper’s administration, nearly 500 undocumented immigrants with criminal charges were released in North Carolina.
Cooper has also been criticized for supporting transgender rights. He vetoed a bill that would have prohibited transgender women from participating in women’s sports and supports policies allowing transgender individuals access to bathrooms corresponding to their gender identity. He backs access to hormone therapy and puberty blockers for minors.
On economic issues, Cooper opposed former President Donald Trump’s proposal to maintain tax cuts, increase the child tax credit to $2,500 for millions of families, and eliminate taxes on tips and overtime pay for service workers in North Carolina.
In the final days of his governorship, Cooper commuted the sentences of 15 people on death row, including individuals convicted of murder and rape. He has supported Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and attempted to veto legislation limiting such initiatives.
Cooper is also known for opposing school choice measures while sending his own daughter to private school. His handling of the COVID-19 pandemic included statewide lockdowns that some say negatively affected student learning outcomes; North Carolina ranked 43rd in reading recovery between 2019 and 2024.
A group advocating reduced police funding has endorsed Cooper due to his criminal justice policies.
