Roy Cooper, the former Democratic governor of North Carolina, is running for U.S. Senate, saying he wants to "make stuff cost less" for families struggling with rising prices.
Cooper is certified for the ballot in the Nov. 3, 2026, general election. He faces Republican Michael D. Whatley, Green Party candidate Michael Dublin and Libertarian Shannon W. Bray.
Candidate information
- Party: Democratic
- Office sought: U.S. Senate, North Carolina
- Education: Bachelor's degree and law degree, both from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, according to BallotReady profile data
- Hometown: Born and raised in Nash County, North Carolina, where he attended public schools and worked summers on the farm, according to his campaign website
- Family: Cooper said he and his wife, Kristin, raised three daughters in Rocky Mount, North Carolina
Experience and public service
Cooper said he practiced law in Rocky Mount for 18 years, representing everyday people and small businesses. He said his mother was a public-school teacher, which shaped his commitment to public education. He said he taught Sunday school and tutored students in local public schools for years.
His public offices, according to BallotReady and his campaign website:
- State representative, North Carolina House of Representatives (1987–1991)
- State senator, North Carolina State Senate (1991–2001)
- Attorney general, North Carolina (2000–2016)
- Governor, North Carolina (2017–2025)
Cooper said that while serving in the legislature, he wrote North Carolina's first children's health insurance initiative.
On the issues
Economy and cost of living: Cooper said the price of groceries, rent, utilities and health care are rising and that Washington is making it worse. He called tariffs "chaotic and irrational" and said they increase costs for farmers on items like fertilizer and equipment, with those costs passed to consumers, according to the Wilmington Star-News. Cooper pledged to vote to roll back tariffs.
He also unveiled a plan to lower childcare costs, including investing in higher wages for childcare workers, expanding apprenticeships, cutting regulations he called unnecessary and expanding the Child Care and Dependent Tax Credit. "It's costing our economy billions of dollars when parents cannot afford to go into the workforce," Cooper said, according to the Star-News.
Health care: Cooper said affordable health care is at risk due to what he described as attacks on Medicaid and Medicare, expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies and what he called greedy insurance companies. As governor, Cooper said he reached a bipartisan agreement to expand Medicaid, which by early 2025 had brought coverage to more than 650,000 North Carolinians. He also said he enacted a plan to incentivize hospitals to relieve more than $4 billion in medical debt for 2 million eligible residents, according to his campaign website.
Disaster relief: Cooper said he wants to "recreate FEMA, because clearly, it has been almost destroyed," telling WLOS the federal agency must be ready to respond when disasters strike.
Education and workforce: Cooper said he proposed NC GROW (Getting Ready for Opportunities in the Workforce), a scholarship and aid program to help people earn community college degrees and job training, as part of a goal to ensure 2 million working-age North Carolinians hold a degree or credential beyond high school by 2030.
Governance: Cooper said he would be "a tough, independent Senator" who would work with the president when possible, stand up to him when needed and challenge leaders in his own party when he disagrees, according to WLOS.
Endorsements
The following organizations have endorsed Cooper, according to BallotReady profile data:
- AFL-CIO
- NC State AFL-CIO
- Sierra Club
- The League of Conservation Voters
- Reproductive Freedom For All
- Joint Action Committee for Political Affairs
- JStreetPAC
- Jewish Democratic Council of America
- End Citizens United
- GiveGreen
- Giffords
- Defend The Vote
- Democratic Majority for Israel PAC
- Eastern Piedmont Central Labor Council
- People's Alliance PAC
- Eastern North Carolina Central Labor Council
- Sandhills Central Labor Council
- Triangle Labor Council, AFL-CIO
- Triad Central Labor Council
- Black Political Caucus of Charlotte-Mecklenburg
The general election is Nov. 3, 2026. Voters in Cabarrus County can find polling locations and registration information through the Cabarrus County Board of Elections.
