Roy Cooper enters North Carolina Senate race as Democrats’ top recruit, boosting chances to flip a key Republican seat in 2026 against likely GOP candidate Michael Whatley.
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Formertwo-termDemocraticGov.RoyCooperisrunningfortheSenateinbattlegroundNorthCarolina.
CooperannouncedhiscandidacyonMondaymorningintheopen-seatracetosucceedRepublicanSen.ThomTillis,whoannouncedlatelastmonththathewouldn’trunforre-electioninthe2026midtermelections.
“Ihavethoughtonitandprayedaboutit,andIhavedecided:IamrunningtobethenextU.S.SenatorfromNorthCarolina,”Coopersaidinasocialmediapost.
Cooper’scampaignlaunchisseenasamajorcoupfortheDemocraticParty,ashewastheparty’stoprecruitinnextyear’selections,bolsteringtheirchancesofflippingakeyGOP-heldseatastheytrytotakeabigbiteoutoftheRepublicans’53-47Senatemajority.
DNCCHAIRTELLSFOXNEWSDIGITALDEMOCRATSHAVEHIT‘ROCKBOTTOM’–HERE’SHISPLANTOREBOUND
Hisannouncementwasexpected,asnumerousnewsorganizations,includingFoxNews,recentlyreported
