Roy Cooper
Former Governor of North Carolina · Democratic · North Carolina
Roy Cooper is a former two-term North Carolina governor and longtime state attorney general, and the leading Democrat in North Carolina’s open 2026 U.S. Senate race.
Profile last updated Jul 7, 2026 · Center Field Politics
Scout's Report
A popular former governor with a moderate brand and a record of winning statewide in a closely divided battleground.
Core Strength
Proven statewide appeal, high name recognition, and executive experience.
Core Weakness
Must energize the base while defending a long record in a nationalized Senate race.
Recent Action
Entered North Carolina’s open 2026 U.S. Senate race as the leading Democratic candidate.
Key Metrics
- Reliability
- 98%
- Documented Controversies
- 0
- Funding Secured
- $80M
Roll-call or session participation — did they show up?
Official ethics findings or court records only.
State economic-development and education funding directed during his tenure (absolute).
Where They Stand
Stances on the issues many voters care most about. Where a candidate has not given a clear answer we mark it "Mixed / Partial" or "Unclear" rather than guess. Positions are drawn from official records and bias-labeled news sources; they are descriptive only and are never scored.
Environment—Supports3
Climate protections and regulation versus fewer climate-related regulations on industry.
Backs clean-energy goals and coastal-resilience investment.
Healthcare—Supports31
Expanding healthcare coverage for all versus expanding market-based, private insurance.
A leading proponent of Medicaid expansion and expanding coverage.
Second Amendment—Supports3
New firearm regulations versus no new firearm regulations.
Supports expanded background checks and firearm-safety measures.
Immigration—Supports3
Pathways to citizenship versus a closed-border approach.
Supports comprehensive reform with a pathway to citizenship.
Roe v. Wade—Supports3
Protecting access to abortion versus restricting access to abortion.
Supports abortion-access protections; vetoed further restrictions as governor.
National Security—Mixed / Partial3
Whether diplomacy or military strength should be the primary national-security priority.
Emphasizes diplomacy and congressional authorization; no clear position on the 2025 strikes.
Party Loyalty
Party-line alignment on major recorded votes.