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.
His entire political career is tied to a state he wishes to represent in Congress. 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).
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. 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’.
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.
His 2026 campaign has focused on lowering costs for families, creating jobs and addressing issues including tariffs, healthcare and energy costs.
Cooper has criticised the war involving Iran , stating that the conflict has led to a risk faced by the U.S. service members, along with contributing to higher costs in North Carolina. Vance criticised Cooper’s record on crime and linked the case to policies adopted during Cooper’s time as governor. Cooper rejected the criticism and accused Vance of using Zarutska’s death for political purposes.
Cooper also became involved in a public dispute with Vice President JD Vance after the 2025 killing of Iryna Zarutska on a light rail train in Charlotte. The exchange later became part of the political debate surrounding Cooper’s 2026 Senate campaign.
In an August 2026 social media post, Cooper said there was “no strategy, no exit plan and no end in sight” and criticised his Republican Senate opponent, Michael Whatley for continuing to support the war.
