RALEIGH, N.C. — Roy Cooper, the former Democratic governor of North Carolina, announced that he will run for Senate in 2026.
Cooper made this announcement in a video posted to social media.
"I know that today, for too many Americans, the middle class feels like a distant dream. Meanwhile, the biggest corporations and the richest Americans have grabbed unimaginable wealth," Cooper said in the video.
Cooper's bid for Senate comes in the wake of incumbent Republican Senator Thom Tillis' decision not to run for re-election in 2026.
Watch previous coverage: NC Sen. Thom Tillis won't seek re-election in 2026
Cooper's previous successes in North Carolina elections has made him a strong candidate for Democrats. He previously served as the state's attorney general for 16 years before becoming governor in 2016.
This Senate race will be a major litmus test for Democrats hoping to recover from the 2024 election results. The party is hoping to pick up momentum in this key battleground state, which President Donald Trump won by around 3.2 percentage points in 2024.
Regarding Cooper's potential opponent, he could face off against North Carolina GOP Chairman Michael Whately in 2026.
On Thursday, Trump gave his support to Whately for the position on social media, giving him a major boost ahead of the Republican primary.
"Mike would make an unbelievable Senator from North Carolina,” Trump wrote.
The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) sent out a statement in reaction to Cooper's announcement, calling him a "wreck."
“Roy Cooper is a Democrat lapdog who spent his time as Governor sabotaging President Trump, doing Joe Biden and Kamala Harris' bidding, releasing violent illegal aliens into North Carolina streets, and championing radical transgender ideology,” said NRSC Communications Director Joanna Rodriguez.
Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) Chair Kirsten Gillibrand issued a joint statement in support of Cooper's decision to run.
"From expanding Medicaid for hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians to bringing good-paying jobs to the state and taking on scammers and big banks, Cooper has always been a champion for North Carolina families," the statement reads.
With Republicans holding a thin three-seat majority in the Senate, this election will be highly competitive for both parties.
