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.

I’m a health care and public policy leader with a track record of solving tough problems, building coalitions, and delivering results – without insults or drama. Throughout my career, I’ve worked at the intersection of health care, law, technology, and government to make programs work better for the people they serve – by improving operations and results through smarter systems, greater accountability, and adoption of innovative technology. I’ve always worked to bring people together to solve problems, and that’s what I’ll do as your elected representative in Congress. What do I believe? I believe in practical solutions rooted in constitutional principles: fiscal responsibility, local control, and common-sense health and justice reforms. I believe in caring for others, personal responsibility, and public service. I believe in the importance of an independent Congress that is willing to exercise its constitutional obligations to make laws, control the purse, and oversee the executive and judicial branches of government. And I strongly believe that we can disagree with others without being disrespectful. I will seek to develop consensus on practical solutions to address challenges in healthcare, education, and other areas.

Tanya White Anderson is a community leader and advocate for public education, working-class citizens, and our military veterans. In her work as an advocate, Tanya has worked to improve access to healthcare, housing, and job training for veterans in our community. She is also committed to improving public education in North Carolina because every child deserves access to a quality education, regardless of their zip code or family income. Tanya is running to represent District 12 in the North Carolina Senate.

Jamey is a Lee County product (LCHS Class of 1994) and loves Lee County. He served on the Lee County Board of Education (2021-2024), is a member of the Jonesboro Rotary Club, and attends St. Luke United Methodist Church. He holds a degree in computer science from NC State University and has worked at SAS Institute for 15 years. His wife Kelli (LCHS Class of 1997), is executive director of Downtown Sanford, Inc., and their 3 children are Lee County Schools products. Will (LCHS Class of 2024) is studying Civil Engineering at UNC-Charlotte, Laney (LCHS Class of 2026) is studying Business Administration at NC State University, and Carsen is a 10th grader at Lee County High School. “I’m running to build a Lee County for the next generation. I want all of our kids to finish their education (high school, trades, military, college), and return to Lee County and put down roots in safe neighborhoods with affordable housing, have strong career opportunities and strong schools for their kids.”

Patrick is a proud product of Lee County Schools and has served two terms on the Lee County Board of Education (2016-2024). He was chairman of the Lee County Board of Education 2018-2020. Patrick holds a degree in Political Science from Western Carolina University, has taught Political Science at CCCC, and is a small business owner (Pint Sized Pastures).