Former Governor Roy Cooper has decided to run for North Carolina’s open U.S. Senate seat and plans to announce his campaign before the end of the month. That’s according to multiple news outlets citing people familiar with the plans.
The decision brings some clarity to Democrats’ strategy to regain the seat they lost in 2014 to incumbent Republican U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, who isn’t seeking reelection.
No GOP frontrunner has emerged in the race, but Politico reports Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley plans to run.
The only Democrat officially in the race is former U.S. Rep Wiley Nickel, who beat Trump-endorsed Republican Bo Hines in the Republican-leaning 13th Congressional District in 2022.