Roy CooperRoy Cooper

Roy is focused on lowering the daily cost of living for working families. He will advocate for policies that curb corporate price-gouging on food and groceries, lower utility rates, and make high-quality child care affordable for parents.

In every role, Governor Cooper has proven himself to be an unmatched gun safety champion. As a gun owner himself, he knows that we can and must respect the Second Amendment rights of anyone who chooses to responsibly own firearms—and that we can also work to pass real reforms needed to safeguard our communities from harm.

“Roy Cooper has spent his career standing up for working families, protecting fundamental freedoms, and defending democracy in one of the nation’s most competitive battleground states. At a moment when the stakes for our country could not be higher, Roy brings the steady leadership, integrity, and proven record needed to help build a Senate that works for all Americans.”

Republican Senator Thom Tillis is retiring, and Democrats landed a major recruit in former Governor Roy Cooper, who is well-known and has won multiple statewide elections before. This is currently rated one of Democrats' most likely Senate flips of the cycle, and it's central to any majority math. Republicans are starting to pour money into the state to prop up former RNC Chair and oil lobbyist Michael Whatley in their attempts to hold this seat.

As Governor, Roy Cooper led North Carolina to be one of the fastest-growing states in the nation with a good quality of life, a strong education system, more health care coverage, and better-paying jobs. The state was named the best state for business three out of four years. Cooper was born and raised in Nash County, North Carolina, where he attended public schools and worked summers on the farm before earning undergraduate and law degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He represented everyday people and small businesses while practicing law in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, where he and his wife Kristin raised three daughters. His mother was a public-school teacher, which helped cement his deep commitment to public education. For years, he taught Sunday School and tutored students in local public schools. Cooper entered public service after being elected to the legislature, where he worked to raise teacher pay and strengthen law enforcement, and wrote North Carolina’s first children’s health insurance initiative. After being elected Attorney General, Cooper prosecuted criminals and protected North Carolina families, small businesses, and seniors for four consecutive terms. He oversaw a sharp decrease in crime and fought for consumers by putting scammers and predatory lenders out of business and standing up to the drug companies and big banks, getting billions of dollars back to North Carolinians.

Former Governor Roy Cooper has spent more than three decades serving North Carolina as a lawyer, Attorney General, and two-term Governor. Raised in Nash County by a public-school teacher, Cooper built his career advocating for working families, strengthening public education, protecting consumers, and expanding economic opportunity. During his eight years as Governor, North Carolina attracted historic private-sector investment, expanded workforce development, and strengthened the state’s reputation as one of the nation’s fastest-growing economies.

Cooper’s record reflects a commitment to pragmatic leadership and protecting the institutions that underpin a healthy democracy. Throughout his career, he has supported investments in education, affordable health care, infrastructure, and public safety while emphasizing that government should work for everyday North Carolinians. As Attorney General and Governor, he consistently defended the rule of law and the rights of North Carolina families.

NCAAT in Action is proud to endorse Roy Cooper because of his longstanding commitment to inclusive leadership, protecting democratic institutions, and expanding opportunity for all North Carolinians. As our state’s Asian American community continues to grow, we believe North Carolina deserves leaders who understand that our diversity is one of our greatest strengths and who recognize the importance of ensuring every community has a meaningful voice in shaping our future.

NCAE endorsed Cooper for the U.S. Senate and Judge Walczyk for the North Carolina Court of Appeals. “Tonight, we celebrate alongside Roy Cooper and Judge Walczyk," said Tamika Walker Kelly, NCAE President. "We endorsed these candidates knowing they will be strong advocates not only for public education, but for building a more equitable North Carolina for our students, educators, and working-class families. The people of North Carolina have made it clear with their votes: these are the leaders our state needs now more than ever.”