Senate in the 2026 elections where he will be competing against Republican Michael Whatley. Roy Asberry Cooper III has established a prominent place in the political landscape of North Carolina , where he served as governor for two terms and attorney general for four. He currently runs as the Democratic contender for U.S.
He served as North Carolina’s governor from 2017 to 2025 after defeating Republican Governor Pat McCrory in 2016. Before becoming governor, he had already spent 16 years in the North Carolina Senate and served four terms as attorney general. Born on 13 June 1957, in Nashville , North Carolina, Cooper attended public schools and later achieved undergraduate and law degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on a Morehead Scholarship. 69 year old Cooper is currently married to Kristin Cooper, a lawyer who served as North Carolina’s first lady during his tenure as governor. It further went on to state that North Carolina added more than 640,000 jobs during his tenure for both urban and rural parts of the state. His administration also reported that average teacher pay increased by 19% during his service in office. In August 2019, he vetoed House Bill 370, which would have required sheriffs to comply with requests from the U.S.
During his tenure in the legislature, he worked on wide ranging issues encompassing teacher pay, class sizes and children’s health insurance, according to the National Governors Association. The veto received backlash from President Donald Trump , who said in a social media post that Cooper had made a ‘terrible decision’. His entire political career is tied to a state he wishes to represent in Congress. He practiced law in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. His mother Beverly Thorne Batchelor Cooper served as a public school teacher, while his father Roy Asberry Cooper Jr. practiced law. The couple has three daughters named Natalie, Hilary and Claire. The Office of Roy Cooper established economic development, employment, education and healthcare among its priorities. Cooper is known to oppose the legislation that required local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Another significant case involves Senate Bill 382, which Cooper vetoed in November 2024, which was overturned by the General Assembly in November. His 2026 campaign has focused on lowering costs for families, creating jobs and addressing issues including tariffs, healthcare and energy costs. The legislation changed the structure of the State Highway Patrol and stripped the governor of the power to appoint members of the election boards at the state and county levels. Cooper along with the 76th Governor of North Carolina named Josh Stein later filed lawsuits arguing that some parts of the legislation violated the separation of powers under the North Carolina Constitution. After serving two terms as the governor of North Carolina and four terms as the state’s attorney general, Cooper is now seeking a seat in the US Senate. His record has also included major political disputes over abortion, immigration, election administration and the powers of the governor’s office. As the Senate race continues, these policies along with Cooper’s record in state government remain central to his campaign.
