Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper jumped into the state’s open Senate race Monday, boosting Democrats’ hopes and setting up a likely contest with Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley in one of the nation’s most competitive battlegrounds.
“I have thought on it and prayed about it, and I have decided: I am running to be the next U.S. Senator from North Carolina,’’ Cooper posted on social media.
Democrats had sought to recruit Cooper even before Republican Sen. Thom Tillis announced late last month that he wouldn’t seek reelection. Tillis was facing intense backlash over his opposition to Republicans’ massive tax and spending legislation, with President Donald Trump threatening to support a primary opponent against him.
