ANALYSIS — Watching popular governors flame out in Senate races cycle after cycle might cause Democrat Roy Cooper to pause before entertaining a Senate run in North Carolina in 2026.
But while overcoming their state’s partisan lean has proved difficult for some state executives trying to move to Capitol Hill, Cooper would start in a more favorable position if he decided to challenge Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, and it would be a mistake to dismiss his potential candidacy.
First of all, it’s unclear whether Cooper will run at all.
