DEMOCRAT

Roy Cooper

North Carolina Senate 2026 · 2026

Policy Positions

55%

Avg Confidence

Issue Areas

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Policy Positions

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Economy

2 positions

Would you support raising the federal minimum wage to $17 per hour?

Support

Party InferenceCooper, as a two-term Democratic governor of NC, signed executive orders raising the state minimum wage for state employees and supported minimum wage increases generally, but has not made a $17 federal minimum wage a centerpiece of his 2026 Senate campaign platform; position inferred from his broader progressive economic record and party alignment. Fact-check this →

Would you support imposing tariffs of 25% or more on imports from countries that do not meet US labor and environmental standards?

Support

Party InferenceCooper has generally supported fair trade policies and worker protections as governor, and as a 2026 Senate candidate his platform aligns with using trade leverage to protect labor and environmental standards, though no direct statement on this specific tariff mechanism has been identified. Fact-check this →

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Environment

2 positions

Would you support legislation requiring the US to reduce carbon emissions by 50% below 2005 levels by 2035?

Support

Public StatementAs Governor of North Carolina, Cooper supported clean energy initiatives and rejoined the U.S. Climate Alliance pledging Paris Agreement goals, indicating support for significant emissions reductions, but his specific position on a 50% by 2035 legislative target is inferred rather than directly stated. Fact-check this →

Would you support ending new federal permits for oil and gas drilling on public lands and offshore waters?

Neutral

Party InferenceCooper, a moderate Democratic governor who accepted some fossil fuel industry support and balanced energy transition messaging, has not taken a clear explicit public position on ending new federal permits for oil and gas drilling on public lands and offshore waters, requiring inference from his general environmental and energy record. Fact-check this →

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Foreign Policy

2 positions

Would you support increasing the federal defense budget by more than 5% per year above the rate of inflation?

Oppose

Party InferenceCooper served as North Carolina's Governor (not a federal legislator), leaving no direct congressional voting record on defense budgets; as a moderate Democrat running for Senate in 2026, his position on this specific threshold is inferred from party norms and his general moderate-to-centrist profile, with no explicit public statements found on a >5% real defense budget increase. Fact-check this →

Would you support maintaining or increasing current levels of US foreign assistance to allied and developing nations?

Support

Party InferenceCooper served as North Carolina Governor without a direct role in federal foreign policy, and his 2024 Senate campaign platform emphasized domestic issues; his position on foreign assistance is inferred from his mainstream Democratic alignment and general support for international engagement, but no direct statements on foreign aid levels were identified. Fact-check this →

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Gun Policy

2 positions

Would you support requiring background checks for all firearm purchases in the US, including private sales and gun show transactions?

Support

Campaign PlatformAs Governor of North Carolina, Roy Cooper consistently advocated for expanded background checks and signed executive orders strengthening gun safety measures after mass shootings, and his 2024 Senate campaign platform included support for universal background checks, though he has not been a singular national champion of the issue. Fact-check this →

Do you support a federal policy prohibiting the manufacture and sale of semi-automatic rifles with detachable magazines to civilians?

Support

Public StatementAs Governor of North Carolina, Roy Cooper repeatedly called for expanded background checks and assault weapons restrictions, and has expressed support for reinstating the federal assault weapons ban, but has not specifically championed a semi-automatic rifle ban as a centerpiece of his 2024 Senate campaign platform. Fact-check this →

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Healthcare

2 positions

Would you support expanding Medicare to cover all Americans regardless of age?

Support

Public StatementAs a two-term North Carolina governor, Cooper supported Medicaid expansion under the ACA and signed expansion into law in 2023, indicating support for broadening public health coverage, though he has not explicitly championed Medicare for All as a Senate candidate. Fact-check this →

Would you support federal legislation requiring Medicare to negotiate prescription drug prices directly with pharmaceutical manufacturers?

Support

Campaign PlatformAs a two-term Democratic governor of North Carolina who championed Medicaid expansion and lower drug costs, Cooper has consistently supported policies to reduce prescription drug prices, and as a 2026 Senate candidate his platform aligns with mainstream Democratic support for Medicare drug price negotiation, though he has not made this a singular centerpiece issue with explicit public statements on this specific federal mechanism. Fact-check this →

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Immigration

2 positions

Would you support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who have lived and worked continuously in the US for more than 5 years?

Support

Party InferenceCooper, as a moderate Democratic governor of North Carolina, has expressed general support for immigration reform including pathways for long-term residents, but has not made this a centerpiece issue or taken highly specific public positions on the exact 5-year threshold policy as a Senate candidate. Fact-check this →

Would you support significantly increasing federal funding for border security infrastructure and personnel at the US southern border?

Neutral

Party InferenceRoy Cooper, running for U.S. Senate as a first-time federal candidate, has not issued clear public statements specifically on federal border security funding increases, though as a moderate Democratic governor he has generally favored comprehensive immigration reform over enforcement-only approaches; position inferred from general policy stance and party affiliation. Fact-check this →

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Taxes

2 positions

Would you support raising the top federal income tax rate to 50% for individual income exceeding $10 million per year?

Support

Party InferenceCooper has not made a 50% top rate a campaign centerpiece, but as a mainstream Democrat running in 2024 he has broadly supported higher taxes on the wealthy; no direct statement on this specific threshold was found, so position is inferred from his general progressive fiscal stance. Fact-check this →

Would you support raising the federal corporate income tax rate from 21% to 28%?

Support

Party InferenceCooper, as a moderate Democrat and former NC Governor, has generally aligned with the Democratic mainstream on corporate tax increases, but has not made the 28% corporate rate a centerpiece issue in his Senate campaign, so his position is inferred from party alignment and general progressive-moderate fiscal stances. Fact-check this →

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Voting Rights

1 position

Would you support federal legislation requiring all states to automatically register eligible citizens to vote when they interact with government agencies?

Support

Party InferenceAs a two-term Democratic governor of North Carolina, Cooper consistently supported expanding voting access and opposed Republican-backed voter restrictions, strongly suggesting support for automatic voter registration, though he has not made federal AVR legislation a specific centerpiece of his 2026 Senate campaign platform. Fact-check this →