Report: Roy Cooper is going to run for the US Senate

NC Gov. Roy Cooper in 2022. The former governor is expected to soon enter his name in the race for US Senate in 2026. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

By Billy Ball

July 23, 2025

Popular former NC Gov. Roy Cooper is widely expected to announce his campaign for the US Senate, a new report says. Here’s what that means.

Former NC Gov. Roy Cooper is expected to run in the 2026 US Senate race, a new Axios report says.

Cooper, NC’s ex-attorney general and ex-governor, left the governor’s office in 2024 with broad support. He was considered as a potential running mate to Kamala Harris in 2024 too.

His entry in the race is a big win for NC Democrats, who are hoping to land a seat in the US Senate for the first time since the late Kay Hagan left office in 2015.

With Sen. Thom Tillis’ coming retirement, NC’s Senate seat is expected to be one of the most important in the nation in 2026. Follow Cardinal & Pine on social media for more breaking news like this. Scroll below for more info.

Author

Billy Ball

Billy Ball is Cardinal & Pine's senior newsletter editor. He’s covered local, state, and national politics, government, education, criminal justice, the environment, and immigration in North Carolina for almost two decades. His reporting and commentary have earned state, regional, and national awards. He's also the founder of The Living South, a journalism project about the most interesting people in the American South.

Have a story tip? Reach Billy at [email protected]. For local reporting that connects the dots, from policy to people, sign up for Billy’s newsletter.

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