North Carolina Democrat and former Gov. Roy Cooper launched his Senate campaign Monday with a folksy video filled with middle-class nostalgia but made no mention of his record of vetoing parental rights protections, supporting transgender procedures for minors, shielding criminal illegal immigrants, and declaring a “state of emergency” over school choice.
Cooper portrays to North Carolinians the image of a humble, small-town lawyer with Sunday school roots. But Cooper’s record as governor tells a far different story, marked by radicalism and culture war extremism.
In his campaign launch Monday, Cooper painted an idealized picture of middle-class life and blamed billionaires and big corporations, claiming he wants to “serve the people” of North Carolina in the Senate. But a full examination of Cooper’s record reveals a different story.
Cooper said the country is facing “a moment as fragile as any I can remember,” yet neglected to admit his own role in stoking fear and division throughout his tenure. From declaring that “North Carolina has had a front-row seat when it comes to the effects of climate change,” to warning that women are “in danger of dying because doctors are afraid of the government coming in and getting between them and their patient,” Cooper has repeatedly leaned into alarmist rhetoric.
He vetoed House Bill 574, which protected women’s sports, by claiming that Republicans were “inflaming their political culture wars” and making “broad, uninformed decisions about an extremely small number of vulnerable children.” He defended his veto by insisting the bill was “neither fair nor needed” and would damage the state’s “reputation and economy.” Cooper also vetoed the Parents’ Bill of Rights and legislation banning transgender procedures for minors. All three vetoes were ultimately overridden by the Republican-led legislature.
Absent from his announcement was any mention of his support for pressuring U.S. pharmacies to distribute abortion pills or his 2021 veto of a bill that would have protected unborn children from being aborted solely due to a Down syndrome diagnosis. He also left out his declaration of a “state of emergency” over school choice, even though he sent his own children to elite private schools, and made no acknowledgment of his claim that wearing face masks “signifies strength” during the pandemic.
Cooper also failed to note that he vetoed legislation requiring sheriffs to cooperate with ICE in turning over criminal illegal aliens, which has allowed sanctuary jurisdictions to continue operating in North Carolina.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) has described Cooper as a “radical, pro-Hamas leftist” who consistently sides with the far-left. In 2023, Cooper vetoed legislation that would have removed DEI programs from state government. At the same time, his daughter held a private sector role focused on promoting DEI and ESG initiatives.
President Trump endorsed RNC Chair Michael Whatley for North Carolina’s open Senate seat before Cooper entered the race, calling Whatley “fantastic” and urging voters to send him to Washington.
Whatley has yet to officially announce his candidacy, but Trump’s support, combined with growing momentum from the GOP grassroots, has positioned him as the conservative frontrunner.
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