Former Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper will run for Senate in 2026
Cooper made the announcement Monday with a video released on social media and his campaign website. The former two-term governor will immediately become the front-runner for the Democratic nomination in the race to succeed retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis.
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley plans to run for the GOP nomination, with President Donald Trump's blessing, according to two people familiar with his thinking who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly before an official announcement.
Whatley, the former North Carolina GOP chairman, received Trump's endorsement after the president's daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, passed on the seat.
Cooper's candidacy is a big recruiting win for Democrats, who see the open seat as a top pick-up opportunity in what will be a challenging year. To retake the majority in 2026, Democrats need to net four seats, and most of the contests are in states that Trump easily won last year. Trump won North Carolina by about 3 percentage points, one of his closest margins of victory.
Trump endorsed Whatley on his Truth Social platform Thursday night, posting that should he run, 'Mike would make an unbelievable Senator from North Carolina.'
Ex-U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel already has been campaigning for the Democratic nomination for months. Party primaries would be March 3.
Cooper, 68, has been on statewide ballots going back a quarter-century — serving 16 years previously as attorney general before being first elected governor in 2016.
With a political career going back nearly 40 years, Cooper has had a knack for winning in a state where the legislature and appeals courts are now dominated by Republicans. State law barred Cooper from seeking a third consecutive gubernatorial term. He spent the spring on a teaching gig at Harvard.
State and national Democrats were longing for Cooper to join the race well before Tillis announced June 29 that he would not seek a third term. That news came after Trump threatened to back a primary candidate against him as Tillis opposed Medicaid reductions in the president's tax break and spending cut package,
Democrats haven't won a Senate race since 2008 in North Carolina, where independent voters tend to vote Republican in federal elections. Statewide races can be financially exorbitant because there are so many television markets — hundreds of millions of dollars are expected to be spent in the race.
Cooper's recent political history has painted him as a fighter against what he's considered extreme Republican policies, while at times finding consensus with GOP rivals.
When asked by The Associated Press last December about a Senate bid, Cooper replied: 'If you're going to run for public office again, you must have your heart and soul in it, you must have the fire in the belly."
As governor he steered the state through the coronavirus pandemic, Hurricanes Helene and Florence and a law that became an early flashpoint in the culture wars over access to public restrooms by transgender people. That 'bathroom bill' was rolled back early in Cooper's first term, and the state's economy soared during Cooper's tenure, marked by big jobs announcements and low unemployment.
While Cooper also managed to get Medicaid expansion approved and a landmark greenhouse gases law enacted, he fell short in stopping legislation that widely expanded private school vouchers and narrowed abortion rights.
Cooper's perceived accomplishments raised his national profile in 2024, making him as a potential running mate for Kamala Harris until he said it 'just wasn't the right time' for him and for North Carolina.
Republicans have argued that Cooper remains susceptible politically, citing what they consider an extreme record supporting abortion rights and opposing school choice that led to many vetoes.
They've also cited a gubernatorial administration marked by spending overruns at the state Department of Transportation; its response to Helene and delays in rebuilding or renovating homes after Hurricanes Matthew and Florence; and executive orders that restricted businesses and school instruction during COVID-19. As for the roaring economy, Republicans credit themselves through lower taxes and deregulation.
Tillis' retirement announcement heartened far-right Republicans and strong Trump supporters who have been unhappy for years with his willingness to challenge Trump's actions and his Cabinet agency choices.
Republicans had deferred to the president's daughter-in-law Lara Trump, who is a North Carolina native, North Carolina State University graduate and a popular former RNC co-chair with Whatley during the 2024 election campaign. She posted on the social media platform X on Thursday that she would not seek the Senate seat.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hamilton Spectator
a few seconds ago
- Hamilton Spectator
US and Ecuador sign agreement to combat transnational crime
QUITO, Ecuador (AP) — The United States and Ecuador on Thursday signed a bilateral agreement aimed at strengthening their collaboration against transnational criminal networks. The agreement, signed during a visit of U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to the South American country, facilitates the exchange of information on suspected criminal offenders and risk assessments of cargo and travelers. Noem told reporters the efforts are 'crucial steps to improve security and ensure that migration is carried out within the framework of the law.' The deal with Ecuador comes as the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump seeks to bolster regional cooperation in its clampdown against immigration and transnational criminal groups, including Tren de Aragua , the Venezuelan gang designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the White House earlier this year. On Wednesday, Noem signed a similar agreement with Chile, which she visited as part of her latest tour of Latin America. That agreement allows Chilean officials to identify potentially dangerous migrants entering or exiting the country and share their fingerprints, iris scans and other biometric data with Homeland Security to prevent such individuals from traveling to the U.S. ____ Follow AP's coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
New York Times
a minute ago
- New York Times
In Funeral Remarks, Adams Praises Police Unit Mamdani Vowed to Disband
At the funeral of Didarul Islam, a police officer who was slain on Monday in Midtown Manhattan, Mayor Eric Adams on Thursday praised the actions of the Police Department's Strategic Response Group, which his opponent in the mayor's race, Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani, has vowed to disband. 'I want to say thank you to the men and women of the New York City Police Department in general, but specifically to the men and women of S.R.G.,' Mr. Adams said. 'They entered the building while the shooter was still alive, and they conducted a floor-by-floor search. They wanted to ensure that everyone in that building would have come out safely.' That choice may carry an implicit political message. Mr. Mamdani, the Democratic nominee for mayor, has said he would eliminate the Strategic Response Group, because of what he said was their heavy-handed policing of protests. Mr. Adams, a Democrat, opted out of the Democratic primary and is running for re-election as an independent. 'I will disband the S.R.G., which has cost taxpayers millions in lawsuit settlements + brutalized countless New Yorkers,' Mr. Mamdani said on social media in December. On Wednesday, Mr. Mamdani held that position during a news conference with a union representing a security guard, Aland Etienne, who was also killed in Monday's shooting. He said that while he admired the department's response to the mass shooting, he took issue with its policing of protests. 'What we saw on Monday was an example of how we would want a response to look like to an emergency,' he said. 'What we also see, however, in this city is the treatment of protest as if it requires the same.' The Strategic Response Group 'responds to citywide mobilizations, civil disorders, and major events with highly trained personnel and specialized equipment,' according to the Police Department website. The unit drew scrutiny following the Police Department's response to the racial justice protests of 2020, during which officers charged at protesters, hit them with batons and boxed them in using a tactic known as 'kettling.' Following lawsuits filed by, among others, New York Attorney General Letitia James, the N.Y.P.D. agreed to limit its use of the S.R.G. to respond to protests. A spokeswoman for Mr. Mamdani said on Thursday that he continues to support disbanding the unit and replacing it with a different type of emergency response team.
Forbes
a minute ago
- Forbes
As America Backslides On Clean Energy, States Will Fill The Leadership Void
The federal government has ceded its leadership on climate and clean energy, but America doesn't have to. And in statehouses across the country, it isn't. A slew of federal legislation and executive action, including President Trump's big tax bill, signed into law on the Fourth of July, is dismantling the policy and economic foundation that in recent years unleashed hundreds of billions of dollars in private investment into clean technology across the U.S. It's not just a loss for the climate – it's also a blow to U.S. competitiveness in a changing global economy. It means less new power at a time of growing electricity demand, fewer manufacturing jobs on U.S. soil, and weaker footing in key strategic industries that will command the 21st century. But as much as this backsliding in Washington is regrettable, it presents an opportunity in states across the country. Having seen federal clean energy policy drive unprecedented clean energy investment nationwide, state policymakers know full well what's at stake – for the climate, yes, but also for jobs, energy affordability, and innovation. If the administration won't deliver for the nation, governors and state lawmakers should seize the opportunity for their communities, businesses, and economies. Here's how. Grid modernization America's aging electric grid is in serious need of modernization to efficiently and affordably deliver power across the economy. It's especially urgent as energy demand spikes with the growth of artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and vehicle electrification. Even states that are building new clean energy at a record pace – such as Texas, New Mexico, and Kansas – will face challenges in powering their economies without new capacity in the transmission lines that carry power over long distances. States can meet this challenge by both improving existing transmission infrastructure and making it easier to build new transmission lines. Some already have, with action in red, blue, and purple states alike – from South Carolina to Ohio to Colorado to Oregon. Policymakers should encourage utilities and other transmission line owners to modernize existing infrastructure, while also responsibly reform their permitting processes to make it easier to build new transmission lines so we can adequately meet our growing electricity needs without sending utility rates skyrocketing. Affordable clean cars The federal government hasn't merely targeted federal policies designed to support electric vehicle adoption. It has also taken aim at state policies, with Congress acting to revoke federal approval for vehicle standards adopted by California and several others under the Clean Air Act – even though these standards had wide support from businesses because they provided a clear, predictable timeline to increase clean vehicle sales and adoption. Despite the federal overreach, states still have a significant opportunity to support electric vehicle growth in the U.S. In June, 11 governors announced the launch of the Affordable Clean Cars coalition, which will collaborate across state lines on policies and investments that make it easier to own and operate electric vehicles. With their work just beginning, more states ought to join the coalition to help businesses and consumers access the cost-saving vehicles they want while bolstering a technology that will be critical to U.S. competitiveness in the coming years. California reauthorization California lawmakers face an urgent and crucial task in the coming weeks. For more than a decade, the Golden State has operated one of the nation's most important climate policies – its cap-and-trade program. It's exactly the kind of market-based policy approach that economists have long cited as the most efficient and affordable way to reduce carbon pollution, by putting a price on the vast risks of climate change, encouraging the private sector to act accordingly to reduce pollution while using the funds to invest in solutions that better serve the economy. And in California, the fourth largest economy in the world, it has worked. But with the program due to expire in 2030, uncertainty about its long-term future is making it less effective and reducing revenue by billions of dollars that could be used to invest in communities, including by taking action to protect against climate-driven threats and rising energy bills. Lawmakers must reauthorize the cap-and-trade program through 2045 before the current legislative session ends in September. Providing a clear, predictable, and market-based policy foundation will position California to continue leading the nation in climate and clean energy policy at a time when that leadership is so strongly needed.
