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Roy Cooper

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Roy Cooper
Candidate, U.S. Senate North Carolina
Prior offices:
Governor of North Carolina
Years in office: 2017 - 2025
Predecessor:Pat McCrory (R)
Successor:Josh Stein (D)
Attorney General of North Carolina
Years in office: 2001 - 2017
North Carolina State Senate District 10
Years in office: 1991 - 2001
North Carolina House of Representatives District 72
Years in office: 1987 - 1991
Elections and appointments
Last election
November 3, 2020
Next election
March 3, 2026
Education
Bachelor's
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, 1979
Law
University of North Carolina School of Law, 1982
Personal
Religion
Christian: Presbyterian
Profession
Attorney
Contact

Roy Cooper (Democratic Party) is running for election to theU.S. Senate to represent North Carolina. He is on the ballot in the Democratic primary onMarch 3, 2026.[source]

Cooper (Democratic Party) was theGovernor of North Carolina. He assumed office on January 1, 2017. He left office on January 1, 2025.

Cooper was term-limited and could not run again for governor. During his final year in the position,WRAL News' Debra Morgan and Will Doran said, "Cooper’s two terms as governor have been largely defined by the antagonistic relationship between him and the Republican-led General Assembly. He won the battle over Medicaid expansion but has seen plenty of losses, too, on issues like stricter abortion laws, looser gun laws and massive corporate tax cuts — key GOP priorities that Cooper and Democratic legislators failed to stop."[1] Cooper said, "When I got elected, we were in the culture war battlefield of the bathroom bill and people were leaving North Carolina. Now we have record numbers of jobs. We've been first in business for two years in a row across the country. My warning to people is that we won't continue to be first in business if we become last in education."[2]

Cooper was born and raised in Nashville, North Carolina.[3] Cooper received a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1979 and went on to receive his law degree from the same school in 1982.[3] Cooper joined his family's law firm out of college, and practiced for the next 18 years.[4][3]

Before becoming governor in 2017, Cooper served in a variety of elected roles in state government, beginning with theNorth Carolina House of Representatives in 1986.[5] In 1991, then-governor Jim Martin (R) appointed Cooper to theNorth Carolina State Senate.[6] Cooper was elected majority leader in 1997.[7] In2000, Cooper ran forNorth Carolina Attorney General, defeating Dan Boyce (R) with 51.2% of the vote. He was re-elected four times.

Cooper ran for governor in 2016, challenging incumbent Gov.Pat McCrory (R) in whatCook Political Report analyst Jennifer Duffy said was among the "most closely fought in the country."[8] Cooper said, "The truth is Gov. McCrory has the wrong priorities for North Carolina, giving away the store for those at the top at the expense of the middle class and our schools.”[9] House Bill 2 (HB 2), whichprohibited transgender individuals in the state from using a bathroom that does not match their gender at birth, was an issue in the race. McCrory signed HB 2 on March 23, 2016, and opponents immediately sued the state. Cooper, as attorney general, said he would not defend the law: "Not only is this new law a national embarrassment, it will set North Carolina's economy back."[10]

Cooperdefeated McCrory 49.02%-48.8%, breaking the state'sRepublican trifecta for the first time since 2012. Libertarian candidateLon Vernon Cecil won 2.2% of the vote. North Carolina was the only state in 2016 to vote fora Republican presidential candidate and a Democratic governor.[11]


Biography

Cooper was born and raised inNorth Carolina. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1979 with a B.A. and received his J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1982.[12]

Before serving elected office, Cooper was appointed by Gov. Jim Hunt (D) to the state goals and policy board. He also worked for his family law firm, Fields & Cooper, as an attorney specializing in civil suits, personal injury cases, and insurance defense.[13] He then served in theNorth Carolina State Legislature from 1987 until becoming attorney general in 2001. He served in that role until becoming governor in 2017.

Political career

Governor of North Carolina (2017-2025)

Cooper was electedgovernor of North Carolina on November 8, 2016. He was sworn into office on January 1, 2017.[14] He left office on January 1, 2025.

North Carolina Attorney General (2001-2017)

Cooper was first electedNorth Carolina attorney general in 2000 and won re-election to the office in 2004, 2008, and 2012.

North Carolina State Senate (1991-2001)

Cooper served in theNorth Carolina State Senate from 1991 to 2001.

North Carolina House of Representatives (1987-1991)

Cooper was elected to theNorth Carolina House of Representatives in 1986.

Elections

2026

See also: United States Senate election in North Carolina, 2026

General election

The candidate list in this election may not be complete.

The primary will occur on March 3, 2026. The general election will occur on November 3, 2026. Additional general election candidates will be added here following the primary.

General election for U.S. Senate North Carolina

Brian McGinnis,Shannon Bray, andShaunesi Deberry are running in the general election for U.S. Senate North Carolina on November 3, 2026.

Candidate
Image of Brian McGinnis
Brian McGinnis (G) Candidate Connection
Image of Shannon Bray
Shannon Bray (L)
Image of Shaunesi Deberry
Shaunesi Deberry (Independent) Candidate Connection

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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina

The following candidates are running in the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina on March 3, 2026.

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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Republican primary election

Republican primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina

The following candidates are running in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina on March 3, 2026.

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Incumbents arebolded and underlined.

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Withdrawn or disqualified candidates

Libertarian primary election

The Libertarian primary election was canceled.Shannon Bray advanced from the Libertarian primary for U.S. Senate North Carolina.

Endorsements

Cooper received the following endorsements. To send us additional endorsements,click here.

2024

See also:North Carolina gubernatorial election, 2024

Roy Cooper was not able to file for re-election due to term limits.

2020

See also: North Carolina gubernatorial election, 2020

North Carolina gubernatorial election, 2020 (March 3 Republican primary)

North Carolina gubernatorial election, 2020 (March 3 Democratic primary)

General election

General election for Governor of North Carolina

IncumbentRoy Cooper defeatedDan Forest,Steven DiFiore II, andAl Pisano in the general election for Governor of North Carolina on November 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Roy Cooper
Roy Cooper (D)
 
51.5
 
2,834,790
Image of Dan Forest
Dan Forest (R)
 
47.0
 
2,586,605
Image of Steven DiFiore II
Steven DiFiore II (L) Candidate Connection
 
1.1
 
60,449
Image of Al Pisano
Al Pisano (Constitution Party) Candidate Connection
 
0.4
 
20,934

Ballotpedia Logo

Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 5,502,778
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Democratic primary election

Democratic primary for Governor of North Carolina

IncumbentRoy Cooper defeatedErnest Reeves in the Democratic primary for Governor of North Carolina on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Roy Cooper
Roy Cooper
 
87.2
 
1,128,829
Image of Ernest Reeves
Ernest Reeves
 
12.8
 
165,804

Ballotpedia Logo

Incumbents arebolded and underlined. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 1,294,633
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Republican primary election

Republican primary for Governor of North Carolina

Dan Forest defeatedHolly Grange in the Republican primary for Governor of North Carolina on March 3, 2020.

Candidate
%
Votes
✔
Image of Dan Forest
Dan Forest
 
89.0
 
698,077
Image of Holly Grange
Holly Grange
 
11.0
 
86,714

Ballotpedia Logo

There were noincumbents in this race. The results have been certified. Source

Total votes: 784,791
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Click [show] to view Cooper's candidate profile 

Candidate profile

Image of Roy Cooper

WebsiteFacebookXYouTube

Party:Democratic Party

Incumbent: Yes

Political Office: 

Biography:  Cooper received a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a J.D. from the University of North Carolina School of Law. Cooper worked as an attorney and was a member of the North Carolinians for Community Colleges board of directors. He also taught continuing legal education and Sunday school.


Key Messages

The following key messages were curated by Ballotpedia staff. For more on how we identify key messages,click here.

Cooper said he was working to rebuild the economy and to expand Medicaid amid the coronavirus pandemic. He criticized Forest's opposition to Medicaid expansion.

Cooper said his record included creating jobs, implementing a plan to fight climate change, repealing HB2, and raising teacher pay.

Cooper's campaign ads said Forest was holding dangerous campaign events during the pandemic.

Show sources

This information was current as of the candidate's run for Governor of North Carolina in 2020.

2016

See also:North Carolina gubernatorial election, 2016
Click [show] for background information on the race 

Cooper was eligible to seek another term as attorney general in 2016. However, in October 2013, Cooper indicated he might run forgovernor in 2016 against incumbentRepublican Gov.Pat McCrory. He confirmed his candidacy in May 2015, citing his frustration with Republican control over the North Carolina state government.[15]


Obama endorsement
Obama template image.jpg
During the 2016 election cycle Cooper was one of the candidates endorsed by PresidentBarack Obama
Full list of Obama's 2016 endorsements


Roy Cooper defeated incumbentPat McCrory andLon Cecil in the North Carolina governor election.

North Carolina Governor, 2016
PartyCandidateVote %Votes
    DemocraticGreen check mark transparent.pngRoy Cooper49.02%2,309,190
    RepublicanPat McCroryIncumbent48.80%2,298,927
    LibertarianLon Cecil2.19%102,986
Total Votes4,711,103
Source:North Carolina Secretary of State


North Carolina Governor Democratic Primary, 2016
CandidateVote %Votes
Green check mark transparent.pngRoy Cooper68.7%710,658
Ken Spaulding31.3%323,774
Total Votes1,034,432
Election results viaNorth Carolina State Board of Elections.


2012

See also:North Carolina attorney general election, 2012

Cooper sought and won a fourth term as attorney general in the 2012 election. He ran unopposed.

Attorney General of North Carolina General Election, 2012
PartyCandidateVote %Votes
    DemocraticGreen check mark transparent.pngRoy CooperIncumbent100%2,828,941
Total Votes2,828,941
Election results viaNC State Board of Elections


Endorsements

  • Equality NC Action Fund[16]

2008

In the 2008 race for attorney general, Cooper defeated Republican Bob Crumley. Cooper ran unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Attorney General, 2008
PartyCandidateVote %Votes
    DemocraticGreen check mark transparent.pngRoy Cooper61.1%2,538,065
    Republican Bob Crumley38.9%1,615,718
Total Votes4,153,783

2004

In the 2004 race for attorney general, Cooper defeated Republican Joe Knott. Cooper was unopposed in the Democratic primary.

Attorney General, 2004
PartyCandidateVote %Votes
    DemocraticGreen check mark transparent.pngRoy Cooper55.6%1,872,097
    Republican Joe Knott44.4%1,494,121
Total Votes3,366,218

2000

Cooper first won election asNorth Carolina Attorney General in 2000, defeating Republican Dan Boyce and Reform Party candidate Margaret Palms.

Attorney General, 2000
PartyCandidateVote %Votes
    DemocraticGreen check mark transparent.pngRoy Cooper51.2%1,446,793
    Republican Dan Boyce46.4%1,310,845
    Reform Party Margaret Palms2.4%67,536
Total Votes2,825,174

Campaign themes

2026

Ballotpedia survey responses

See also:Ballotpedia's Candidate Connection

Candidate Connection

Roy Cooper has not yet completedBallotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.Send a message to Roy Cooper asking him to fill out the survey. If you are Roy Cooper,click here to fill out Ballotpedia's 2026 Candidate Connection survey.

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2020

Roy Cooper did not completeBallotpedia's 2020 Candidate Connection survey.

Campaign website

Cooper’s campaign website stated the following:

“
  • Accomplishments
As governor of North Carolina, Roy has fought for good-paying jobs, strong public schools, access to quality, affordable health care, and a safer and more just North Carolina.
Roy has announced tens of thousands of new jobs across North Carolina, including in North Carolina’s rural and economically distressed counties. He has also created initiatives such as NC Job Ready, Finish Line Grants, and Hometown Strong.
Governor Cooper worked with members of both parties to repeal HB2 to fight discrimination and repair the damage to North Carolina’s economy and reputation. His leadership put North Carolina back on a path to success and opened the door for thousands of new jobs and the return of concerts, shows, and major athletic events such as the NBA All-Star Game.
He has also issued Executive Orders prohibiting workplace discrimination and establishing paid parental leave for 56,000 state employees, and launched a Clean Energy Plan to create good-paying jobs, increase the use of renewable energy, and fight climate change.
From his first day in office, Roy has fought for better teacher pay and funding for our classrooms. He has pushed the Republican legislature to go much farther than it wanted to go resulting in a 9.5% teacher raise since he took office and an improvement in the national rankings. Under his leadership, North Carolina has expanded pre-kindergarten programs and re-established the Teaching Fellows Program to recruit and support highly qualified teachers in North Carolina.
Roy has worked across party lines to combat the opioid crisis in North Carolina. He launched the state’s first Opioid Action Plan in 2017 and, as a result, opioid prescriptions have dropped by 24 percent, emergency room visits for opioid misuse have declined by 10 percent and opioid related deaths have decreased by 5 percent. He also serves on the national Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis.
Roy has fought tirelessly for Medicaid expansion that would extend coverage to half a million people, including families and veterans, without additional state tax dollars. Medicaid expansion would also bring tens of thousands of jobs to North Carolina, reduce the cost of private health insurance and keep rural hospitals from closing their doors.
Together with the most diverse and qualified cabinet in the history of the state, Roy has fought for a safer and more just Carolina. He issued an Executive Order to make North Carolina the first state in the south to ban state funding to any organization that engages in conversion therapy, a scientifically dubious and dangerous practice that is harmful to the LGBTQ community.
He has also led our state through devastating hurricanes and floods, saving lives and helping to invest more than $3.2 billion in recovery to rebuild our state stronger and smarter.
In 2000, Roy was elected Attorney General. As North Carolina’s top law enforcement official, Roy protected families across the state. He cracked down on child predators, worked to increase penalties for drug dealers, and oversaw a sharp (30%) decrease in crime. Roy also prioritized consumer protection, and fought to keep utility rates low, putting predatory lenders out of business and cracking down on telemarketers.
Roy is a die-hard Carolina Hurricanes and North Carolina Tar Heels fan.[17]
”
—Roy Cooper’s campaign website (2020)[18]


Campaign finance summary

Ballotpedia LogoNote: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf.Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at theFEC website. Clickhere for more on federal campaign finance law andhere for more on state campaign finance law.

Roy Cooper campaign contribution history
YearOfficeStatusContributionsExpenditures
2026*U.S. Senate North CarolinaOn the Ballot primary$17,979,856 $5,610,562
2012NC Attorney GeneralWon$583,287 N/A**
2008NC Attorney GeneralWon$1,298,744 N/A**
2004NC Attorney GeneralWon$1,574,350 N/A**
2000NC Attorney GeneralWon$2,137,985 N/A**
1998NC State SenateWon$132,506 N/A**
1996NC State SenateWon$92,893 N/A**
** Data on expenditures is not available for this election cycle
Note: Totals above reflect only available data.

Notable endorsements

See also:Ballotpedia: Our approach to covering endorsements

This section displays endorsements this individual made in elections within Ballotpedia'scoverage scope.

Notable candidate endorsements by Roy Cooper
EndorseeElectionStageOutcome
Josh Stein  source  (D)Governor of North Carolina (2024)GeneralWon General
Josh Stein  source  (D)Governor of North Carolina (2024)PrimaryWon General
Kamala D. Harris  source  (D, Working Families Party)President of the United States (2024)PrimaryLost General
Joe Biden  source President of the United States (2024)PrimaryWithdrew in Convention

Noteworthy events

Reported as possible 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee

See also:Vice presidential candidates, 2024

Media reports discussed Cooper as a possible 2024 Democratic vice presidential candidate.[19] Vice PresidentKamala Harris (D) selected Minnesota GovernorTim Walz (D) as her running mate on August 6, 2024.[20]

In2020, PresidentJoe Biden (D) announced Vice PresidentKamala Harris (D) as his running mate six days before the start of theDemocratic National Convention (DNC). In 2016, bothHillary Clinton (D) and Trump announced their running mates three days before the DNC and RNC, respectively.

Conflicts with the General Assembly of North Carolina (2016-2018)

See also:Conflicts between Gov. Roy Cooper and the General Assembly of North Carolina

The2016 election changed the political landscape ofNorth Carolina. Before the election, Republicans held astate government trifecta, meaning they controlled thegovernor's office and both chambers of the legislature. As a result of the 2016 election, however, Democrats took control of the governor's office, while Republicans held a 35-15 majority in theSenate and a 74-46 majority in theHouse, giving them the three-fifths majority needed in each chamber to override gubernatorial vetoes.

Before Cooper (D) was sworn in, the Republican-controlled legislature began passing legislation that Democrats argued was intended to curtail the governor's power. Legislation included efforts to restructure the state board of elections, to require Senate approval of cabinet-level appointments, and to decrease the number of governor-appointed judges on theNorth Carolina Court of Appeals. Senate Minority LeaderDan Blue (D) said of the legislation, "What we’re dealing with is a political disaster. Let’s deal with the reality: It’s a power grab. If McCrory had won the election, we wouldn’t be here now, reducing the number of positions he has control over."[21] Cooper said that the legislation had been "unconstitutional and anything but bipartisan."[22]

Republicans maintained that the legislation had been discussed for years and that it was returning power to the legislature that was taken away by Democrats years before.[23] Sen.Chad Barefoot (R) said the legislation returned "power that was grabbed during Democratic administrations in the 1990s, and some in the '70s."[24] Republican Rep.David Lewis said of the legislation, "I think, to be candid with you, that you will see the General Assembly look to reassert its constitutional authority in areas that may have been previously delegated to the executive branch."[25]

The following timeline details some of the conflicts between Gov.Roy Cooper (D) and theGeneral Assembly of North Carolina during Cooper's first two years in office. Some legislation highlighted in the timeline are bills that Cooper said were intended to undermine his authority as governor.

Timeline of conflicts between Gov. Cooper and the legislature
DateEvent
December 27, 2018The legislature overturned the governor's veto of HB 1029. HB 1029 included provisions to restructure the state Board of Elections and authorize the board to call for new primary elections. It also established a four-year statute of limitations on investigations into campaign finance violations.[26]
November 6, 2018Voters rejected theLegislative Appointments to Elections Board Amendment andJudicial Selection for Midterm Vacancies Amendment, which would have transferred some of the governor's powers to the state legislature.
October 16, 2018A three-judge panel on the Wake County Superior Court ruled that parts of Senate Bill 68 and House Bill 90 were unconstitutional. The court said the laws violated the separation of powers clause.
August 4, 2018The General Assembly of North Carolina overrode Gov. Cooper's veto of SB 3 and HB 3. SB 3 prohibitsNorth Carolina Supreme Court candidates from running with a party affiliation if they registered with the party less than 90 days before the filing deadline. HB 3 transfers the responsibility of writing ballot measure titles from the Constitutional Amendments Publication Commission to the General Assembly.
June 28, 2018The General Assembly of North Carolina referred theJudicial Selection for Midterm Vacancies Amendment to the ballot for the election on November 6, 2018. Two Republicans voted against the amendment, meaning 106 of 108 non-absent Republicans voted for the amendment. No Democrats supported the amendment. The measure would remove the governor's power to fill judicial vacancies and instead require a commission to develop a list of candidates, legislators to narrow the list down to two candidates, and the governor to select the final nominee.
June 27, 2018The General Assembly of North Carolina referred theLegislative Appointments to Elections Board and Commissions Amendment to the ballot for the election on November 6, 2018. More than 99 percent (106/107) of Republican legislators supported the amendment. One Democrat supported the amendment. The measure would remove the governor's power to make appointments to the elections and ethics board, meaning legislative leaders would make all eight appointments to the board, and provide that the legislature controls the powers, duties, appointments, and terms of office for state boards and commissions.
June 20, 2018The General Assembly of North Carolina overrode Gov. Cooper's veto of SB 486 and SB 757. SB 486 barred candidates who sought, but failed, to secure the nomination of a political party from running as a third-party candidate in the general election. It also required criminal background checks for election workers and directed judges to list political affiliation on the ballot. SB 757 changed judicial elections in Wake and Mecklenburg counties into districtwide, rather than countywide, elections.
June 12, 2018The General Assembly of North Carolina overturned Gov. Cooper's veto of Senate Bill 99, a $23.9 billion budget bill. Cooper had vetoed the bill on June 6, 2018.
March 16, 2018Gov. Cooper allowed House Bill 90 to become law without his signature. HB 90 proposed changing the number and partisan affiliation of state board of elections members.
March 13, 2018Gov. Cooper filed a motion challenging House Bill 90. The bill proposed changing the state board of elections.
January 26, 2018TheNorth Carolina Supreme Court reversed a lower court's decision that Senate Bill 68 was constitutional. The supreme court returned the case to the lower court for a second decision.
October 17, 2017The General Assembly of North Carolina adjourned its 2017 session. In total, Gov. Cooper vetoed 13 bills in 2017. Republicans used their veto-proof majority in the legislature to override 10 vetoes.
August 30, 2017The North Carolina state legislature voted to override House Bill 770. HB 770, which is composed of multiple law changes, would reduce Gov. Cooper's power to appoint members to the North Carolina Medical Board. Cooper had six appointments to the board, but HB 770 removed two of Cooper's appointments and let legislative leaders choose the two members instead. Cooper called it "an intrusion on executive authority." The bill also clarified that state employees can draw another salary for additional work on the state’s Property Tax Commission. (House vote: 71-44; Senate vote: 30-9)
August 14, 2017Gov. Cooper vetoed a regulatory bill (Senate Bill 16) and a bill that would decrease Cooper's power to appoint members to the North Carolina Medical Board. Cooper had six appointments to the board, but House Bill 770 took away two of Cooper's appointments and let legislative leaders choose the two members. Cooper called it "an intrusion on executive authority."
August 8, 2017Gov. Cooper expanded his May 2017 lawsuit. He filed a legal brief on August 8 over provisions in the budget that he called unconstitutional. One provision required the governor to include money in future budget proposals for a school voucher program. Another provision directed how to spend federal block grants and the state's share of the Volkswagen settlement. Jim Phillips, Gov. Cooper's attorney, wrote in the lawsuit, "By dictating what the governor must include in his proposed budget, the General Assembly is exercising core executive power in violation of separation of powers."
June 28, 2017Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed Senate Bill 257, the $23 billion budget. The Senate voted 34-14 and the House voted 76-43 to override the veto. The spending plan became law.
June 21, 2017The General Assembly of North Carolina passed a $23 billion budget. The budget included a provision that limits Gov. Cooper's ability to hire private lawyers to challenge legislation passed by the Republican-led legislature. It also transferred the state Industrial Commission, which was under control of an agency in Gov. Cooper's cabinet, to the state insurance commissioner. This position was held by a Republican. (House vote: 77-40; Senate vote: 39-11)
June 15, 2017A three-judge panel rejected Gov. Cooper's request to block Senate Bill 68 pending his appeal. Senate Bill 68 proposed merging the state elections board and ethics commission and splitting the new board between Democrats and Republicans. On June 1, 2017, a three-judge panel unanimously dismissed Gov. Cooper’s lawsuit that challenged the constitutionality of Senate Bill 68.
June 8, 2017The U.S. Supreme Court affirmed the federal court decision in North Carolina v. Covington on June 5, 2017. In August 2016, a federal court ordered 28 state legislative district maps in North Carolina to be redrawn because they misrepresented the racial groups living in the districts. In reaction to the U.S. Supreme Court decision, Gov. Roy Cooper (D) called a special session of the legislature to begin on June 8, 2017, to redraw the state’s legislative district maps. The General Assembly of North Carolina voted on June 8, 2017, to cancel the special session because Cooper did not have the constitutional authority to call the session because there was not an “extraordinary occasion" to call a special session, as required by the state constitution.
June 1, 2017A three-judge panel in North Carolina unanimously dismissed Gov. Cooper’s lawsuit that challenged the constitutionality of Senate Bill 68. In April 2017, Gov. Roy Cooper (D) filed a lawsuit to block the bill from taking effect after the legislature overrode his veto of the bill. The legislation proposed merging the state elections board and ethics commission and split the new board between Democrats and Republicans.
May 26, 2017Gov. Cooper filed his third lawsuit against the Republican-led legislature over his appointment powers. He sued over House Bill 239, which reduced the number of judges on the appellate bench from 15 to 12. The legislation also prohibited Gov. Cooper from filling the next three vacancies on the court and required them to go unfilled. He also sued over a section of Senate Bill 4, which gave then-Gov. Pat McCrory the power to make a one-time appointment to fill a vacancy on the state Industrial Commission for a six-year term plus the unexpired portion of the commissioner’s term.
April 28, 2017A three-judge panel temporarily blocked Senate Bill 68. This legislation proposed merging the state elections board and ethics commission and split the new board between Democrats and Republicans. A law similar to Senate Bill 68 was ruled unconstitutional on March 17, 2017.
April 26, 2017The General Assembly of North Carolina voted to override Gov. Cooper’s veto of House Bill 239. The legislation reduced the number of judges on the appellate bench from 15 to 12. The legislation also prohibited Gov. Cooper from filling the next three vacancies on the court and required them to go unfilled. (Senate vote: 34-15; House vote: 73-44) Gov. Cooper filed a lawsuit to block Senate Bill 68 from taking effect.
April 25, 2017The General Assembly of North Carolina voted to override Gov. Cooper’s veto of Senate Bill 68. The legislation proposed merging the state elections board and ethics commission and split the new board between Democrats and Republicans. A three-judge panel found a law similar to Senate Bill 68 unconstitutional on March 17, 2017. Lawyers for House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger filed motions with the court asking that previous rulings on the merging of the two boards be vacated. (Senate vote: 33-15; House vote: 75-44.)
April 24, 2017Judge Doug McCullough, a Republican, retired early from the appellate bench so that Gov. Cooper (D) could appoint his replacement. McCullough said at his retirement announcement, "I did not want my legacy to be the elimination of a seat and the impairment of a court that I have served on." Cooper appointed Democrat John Arrowood to the bench. House Bill 239, which Cooper vetoed on April 21, 2017, reduced the number of judges on the appellate bench from 15 to 12. The legislation also prohibited Gov. Cooper from filling the next three vacancies on the court and would require them to go unfilled.
April 21, 2017Gov. Cooper (D) vetoed House Bill 239 and Senate Bill 68.
April 11, 2017The General Assembly of North Carolina sent House Bill 239 and Senate Bill 68 to Gov. Cooper.
March 23, 2017The General Assembly of North Carolina voted to override Gov. Cooper's veto of House Bill 100. The law made Superior Court and District Court judicial elections partisan. North Carolina became the seventh state to enact partisan judicial elections. (Senate vote: 32-15; House vote: 74-44)
March 17, 2017A three-judge panel found two laws unconstitutional: Senate Bill 4, which would overhaul the state and county board of elections, and House Bill 17, which would cut the number of exempt employees that the governor could appoint. The court also found that House Bill 17, which required Senate approval of the governor's cabinet appointments, did not violate the constitution.
March 16, 2017Gov. Cooper (D) vetoed House Bill 100, which would have made Superior Court and District Court judicial elections partisan.
March 8, 2017The General Assembly of North Carolina passed House Bill 100. (House vote: 74-43; Senate vote: 32-15)
February 14, 2017A three-judge panel rejected Gov. Cooper's request to continue to block the law that required Senate confirmation of his cabinet appointments. (House Bill 17)
February 13, 2017The North Carolina Supreme Court reinstated the order to temporarily block the overhaul of the election boards. (Senate Bill 4)
February 10, 2017The North Carolina Court of Appeals temporarily reinstated Senate Bill 4.
February 8, 2017A three-judge panel temporarily blocked the North Carolina law that required Senate approval of the governor's cabinet appointments. (House Bill 17)
January 10, 2017Gov. Cooper amended his lawsuit against Senate Bill 4 to include elements of House Bill 17. Cooper looked to block the parts of the law that would require Senate approval of cabinet positions and the law that would reduce the number of people that the governor could appoint to exempt positions.
January 5, 2017A three-judge panel ruled that the law to overhaul the state and county board of elections would not take effect until Gov. Cooper's lawsuit was resolved. (Senate Bill 4)
January 1, 2017Cooper (D) was sworn in as the 75th governor of North Carolina.
December 30, 2016Cooper (D), as governor-elect, filed a lawsuit to block Senate Bill 4. Wake County Superior Court Judge Don Stephens temporarily blocked Senate Bill 4 from going into effect on January 1, 2017.
December 19, 2016Gov. McCrory (R) signed House Bill 17, which required the governor's cabinet appointments to be approved by the Senate and eliminated the governor's power to appoint members to the UNC board of trustees. The bill also reduced the number of people that the governor could appoint to exempt positions from 1,500 to 425. Jobs designated as exempt allow the governor to hire or fire state employees at will. The General Assembly of North Carolina passed House Bill 17 on December 16, 2016. (House vote: 61-23; Senate vote: 24-13)
December 16, 2016Gov. McCrory (R) signed Senate Bill 4 on December 16, 2016, less than an hour after it passed the legislature. The bill expanded the state board of elections from five to eight members and equally split the board's membership between Democrats and Republicans. Before the law, the governor appointed three of five members to the state board of elections and two of three members to each county board. After the law, the governor would appoint four of eight members to the state board of elections, while Republicans would pick the other four. The governor would also choose two members on each county board. Republicans would choose the other two members. The bill also made state Supreme Court elections partisan. (House vote: 63-27 vote; Senate vote: 26-12.)
December 5, 2016Gov. McCrory (R) conceded his bid for re-election to Roy Cooper (D). Cooper received 49.02% of the vote to McCrory's 48.80%. McCrory lost the race by 10,263 votes. Prior to the 2016 elections, Republicans controlled the Senate, House, and governor's office. As a result of the election, Republicans lost control of the governor's office and NC became one of 19 states under divided government.
November 22, 2016Gov. McCrory requested a recount by the state board of elections because unofficial vote totals had Gov. McCrory within 10,000 votes of Cooper.
November 8, 2016Gov. Pat McCrory (R) faced Roy Cooper (D) in the general election, but the race was too close to call on election night. Republicans gained one seat in the state Senate, and Democrats gained one seat in the state House in the November 2016 election. Following the election, Republicans held a 35-15 majority in the Senate and a 74-46 majority in the House.




Opposition to North Carolina's voter ID law (2013)

In 2013, Cooper voiced his opposition to proposed legislation to require voters to show ID. Cooper wrote to Gov.Pat McCrory (R), asking him to veto the law, which he said would make it harder for citizens to vote. Cooper also said he expected the law to be challenged in court.[27]

Protecting Financial Aid for Students and Taxpayers Act (2013)

On March 11, 2013, Cooper, with 12 other stateattorneys general, sent a letter to Congress in support of the Protecting Financial Aid for Students and Taxpayers Act, a bill that sought to ban for-profit colleges from using federal funds for marketing and recruiting techniques.[28] SenatorsKay R. Hagan (D-N.C.) andTom Harkin (D-Iowa), who chaired the chamber'sHealth, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, sponsored the bill.Massachusetts Attorney GeneralMartha Coakley (D) stated that the proposed law aimed to "ensure that scarce federal education dollars will be used to serve and educate students rather than to finance advertising campaigns, recruitment operations, and aggressive marketing."[29]

In the letter, the attorneys general wrote, "Federal taxpayers should not be asked to foot the bill for aggressive recruiting and deceptive sales tactics of colleges that have placed profits ahead of ensuring student success."[29] At the time, there were an estimated 3,000 for-profit schools nationwide.[30]

On March 12, 2013, the bill was referred to theSenate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, but no subsequent action was taken and the bill died in committee.[31]

On April 23, 2013, a related bill — HR 340 — was referred to theHouse Committee on Education and the Workforce's subcommittee on Higher Education and Workforce Training, but it also died in committee.[32]


Noteworthy cases

Retrial of Alan Gell

Cooper allowed a retrial of former death row inmate Alan Gell, who in 1995 had been convicted of the first-degree murder of Allen Ray Jenkins. Gell was acquitted of all charges in February 2004.[33]


Personal

Note: Pleasecontact us if the personal information below requires an update.

Cooper and his wife, Kristin, have three daughters.[34]

See also


External links

Candidate

U.S. Senate North Carolina

  • Website
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  • X
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    • Footnotes

    1. ↑WRAL News, "One year left as governor: Roy Cooper talks legacy, future plans with WRAL," December 13, 2023
    2. ↑Technician, "In conversation with Gov. Roy Cooper: 2024 election, Israel-Hamas war and Board of Governors," March 7, 2024
    3. ↑3.03.13.2NC Governor Roy Cooper, "Governor Cooper Proclaims 2024 as “The Year of Public Schools,” Calls for Investments in North Carolina’s Teachers, Students and Families," January 23, 2024
    4. ↑The News & Observer, "Cooper's course aimed at governor for long time," October 19, 2016
    5. ↑Governor Roy Cooper, "Interview," accessed June 2, 2024
    6. ↑Newspapers.com, "House Member Resigns To Fill Senate Seat," accessed June 2, 2024
    7. ↑WRAL News, "Gov. Roy Cooper," January 9, 2013
    8. ↑The Charlotte Observer, "NC governor’s race could be nation’s most competitive," June 6, 2024
    9. ↑Citizen Times, "AG Roy Cooper kicks off run for NC governor," October 13, 2015
    10. ↑11 ABC News, "North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper says he won't defend HB 2; McCrory says Cooper should 'fulfill his duty'," March 28, 2016
    11. ↑WUNC, "Recipe For A Split: One Part Trump, One Part Cooper," November 9, 2016
    12. ↑Vote Smart, "Roy Cooper III's Biography," accessed May 24, 2021
    13. ↑Old North State Politics, "'The Almanac of American Politics' Profiles of North Carolina & NC Governor's Race in 2020," September 18, 2019
    14. ↑ABC 11, "Roy Cooper sworn in as North Carolina governor," January 2, 2017
    15. ↑ansonrecord.com, "Cooper announces run for governor," May 18, 2015
    16. ↑QNotes, "Statewide candidate endorsements announced," September 26, 2012
    17. ↑Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    18. ↑Roy Cooper’s 2020 campaign website, “Meet Roy,” accessed October 7, 2020
    19. ↑Axios, "Who could be Kamala Harris' vice presidential pick," July 21, 2024
    20. ↑X, "Harris on August 6, 2024," accessed August 6, 2024
    21. ↑The Atlantic, "North Carolina's 'Legislative Coup' Is Over, and Republicans Won," December 16, 2016
    22. ↑Twitter, "Roy Cooper," December 30, 2016
    23. ↑USA Today, "GOP N.C. governor signs bill curbing Democrat successor's power," December 17, 2016
    24. ↑NY Times, "North Carolina Governor Signs Law Limiting Successor’s Power," December 16, 2016
    25. ↑CNN, "NC's GOP governor signs bill curbing successor's power," December 30, 2016
    26. ↑The Hill, "NC governor vetoes bill allowing a new primary in disputed House race," December 21, 2018
    27. ↑WECT, "UPDATE: McCrory plans to sign voter ID bill, despite plea from Cooper," July 26, 2013
    28. ↑The Library of Congress, "Bill Text 113th Congress (2013-2014) S.528.IS," March 12, 2013
    29. ↑29.029.1The Boston Globe, "Attorney generals to Congress: Don’t let for-profit colleges use federal grants and loans for advertising," March 17, 2013
    30. ↑Commonwealth of Kentucky Office of the Attorney General, "Letter to Congress," March 11, 2013
    31. ↑Congress.gov, "All Bill Information (Except Text) for S.528 - Protecting Financial Aid for Students and Taxpayers Act," accessed August 7, 2015
    32. ↑Congress.gov, "All Bill Information (Except Text) for H.R.340 - Protecting Financial Aid for Students and Taxpayers Act," accessed August 7, 2015
    33. ↑WRAL.com, "Former Death Row Inmate Under Investigation For Statutory Rape" 15 Feb. 2006
    34. ↑NC Governor Roy Cooper, "Roy Cooper," accessed May 20, 2021

    Political offices
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