Roy Cooper makes it official

I remember in 1978 the GOP and Jesse Helms’s Congressional Club (one of America’s first PACs) running ads against Robert Morgan, a conservative Democrat.

“Too Liberal for North Carolina.”

This was the early days of Liberal becoming a pejorative.
 
I don't think those Dems have much of a voice in NC. And they certainly won't swing the vote here.
I can see Cooper’s boring ass campaign losing to a Trumplican.

Cooper will be an OLD 68 years in November 2026.

I don’t see ANYONE inspired by Cooper’s candidacy. I’ll vote for Cooper over ANY Trumplican…..inspired to vote for Cooper? No.
 
Look for the right to attack Cooper heavily on Helene, despite the fact that the state had water rescue resources mobilized and in place before the storm hit. Of course, facts don't matter to MAGA.
Absolutely, but as discussed recently, that seems like a great opportunity to inform North Carolinians that Trump took away all FEMA funding from Helene victims. I'm 100% certain that's not currently known to the vast majority of this state's residents.
 
I've already seen some Democrats saying Cooper isn't liberal enough

Dems can be so stupid. I was talking with someone this weekend who was like "well I want to see our 2028 candidate say this that and the third or"

I stopped them, don't get caught in that stupid game. Those are valid points in a normal political climate. This is NOT a normal political climate. And I'm tired of the Dems playing defense... time to go on offense.
 
Absolutely, but as discussed recently, that seems like a great opportunity to inform North Carolinians that Trump took away all FEMA funding from Helene victims. I'm 100% certain that's not currently known to the vast majority of this state's residents.
When you’re explaining, you’re losing…..BIG.
 
1. I don't think Cooper is as boring as you're suggesting. He's a pretty damn good retail politician.
2. NC voters seem to like boring for the Senate.
3. Name recognition is MASSIVE in these types of elections, and Cooper has that in spades.
His opponent has a Magic R. “Reasonable” Republicans such as HeelYeah2012 won’t vote for Cooper for Senate after voting for Coop for Governor.
 
If Cooper wins, I’m good……I’m not ecstatic…….he’s OLD.

Cooper is one boring as can be politician. Stunningly boring. Only Cal Cunningham or Al Gore makes Cooper look exciting.

I figure the 2026 US Senate race is 48.5% Democrat to 49.7% Republican even with Cooper as the nominee.
Roy beat incumbent McCrory in 2016 with Trump on the ballot and everybody hatin' on Hillary

Roy beat the GQPer Lt Gov in 2020 by over 4% with Trump on the ballot

Trump will not be on the ballot next go round. I'm fairly confident Roy will clean the clock of the GQPer this time around.
 
About this time of the year, Jim Hunt led Jesse Helms by 13 points in polls for the US Senate race in North Carolina in 1984.

Helms won.
 
Good luck on Maine.

Even if Collins runs again, the People’s Republic of Portland will run a mediocre candidate against her…..which year did the Democrats choose Sarah “Ice Queen” Gideon to run? Gideon was “from AWAY” and a Jew (one needs to know how Catholic and evangelical INLAND Maine is) and a “centrist leftist” (yeah, you define that - I can’t)…….and, not likeable…..truly a shitty retail politician…..I knew her when she was on the PTA or whatever Maine calls it and before she ran for the state legislature……she is NOT a friendly person.

Maine has 1.2 million or so residents…..it is a retail politics state.

Good luck on Maine Democrats nominating a candidate who can win.

Then, you have the “Susan Collins” and “Olympia Snowe” “Independents” living from Ogunquit/Wells to Canada along the coast…..they want their taxes low…….eff the LGBTQ residents who’ve turned Biddeford and Damiscarotta and other dying coastal fishing towns into vibrant coastal tourist towns.

Cooper was at the Lodge?

Was Cooper a Morehead?


Cooper was indeed a Morehead...seems a lot of ChiPsis have been.

BTW...did you live in Portland by chance?
 
Informing is not explaining.

But seriously, you seem skeptical about Cooper for this race. Who would you prefer?
I doubt ANY Democrat can win the US Senate seat in North Carolina in 2026.

Terry Sanford won in 1986. Shampoo Boy in 1998. Kay Hagan in 2008. All one-term senators. That’s three US Senators in almost 40 years. The Democrats to win before 1986? Conservative Robert Morgan and segregationist Sam Ervin.

The US Senate race in 2026 in North Carolina will be a tight, hard-fought race.

Rural whites in North Carolina will say, “IAh laak Roy……but in DEEECEEE he’ll be unnother Commie.”
 
About this time of the year, Jim Hunt led Jesse Helms by 13 points in polls for the US Senate race in North Carolina in 1984.

Helms won.
C'mon Zoo...

Jesse was a two term incumbent Senator running with "morning in America " Ronald Reagan on the ballot who carried 49 states with almost 60% of the vote.

Roy ain't running against an incumbent Senator. He ain't running against Ronald Reagan or Donald Trump on the ballot
 
Cooper was indeed a Morehead...seems a lot of ChiPsis have been.

BTW...did you live in Portland by chance?
Yes on Portland.

Truly the best Waspish food city in the US…….but, might have the best the best sushi restaurant in the US and the best Pho place.

And, at least in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s, a shitload of Chi Psi’s were Moreheads…..or, a shitload of Moreheads were Chi Psi’s…..

I’m listening to a WUNC/NPR program featuring Hampton Dellinger who is a Michigan alum and a ??? Law School alum…..his Dad was a Duke law professor, Walter Dellinger.
 
I can see Cooper’s boring ass campaign losing to a Trumplican.

Cooper will be an OLD 68 years in November 2026.

I don’t see ANYONE inspired by Cooper’s candidacy. I’ll vote for Cooper over ANY Trumplican…..inspired to vote for Cooper? No.
I would love to hear who you think has a better chance of winning a statewide election in NC than Roy Cooper. Cooper won statewide elections in NC in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020. He ran three points ahead of Hillary in 2016 and three points ahead of Biden in 2020. It's fine to pine for "inspiration" from a candidate but I would rather have a candidate who is a proven winner in NC elections, who will have a huge edge in name recognition, than some rando who you happen to think is "inspiring."
 
C'mon Zoo...

Jesse was a two term incumbent Senator running with "morning in America " Ronald Reagan on the ballot who carried 49 states with almost 60% of the vote.

Roy ain't running against an incumbent Senator. He ain't running against Ronald Reagan or Donald Trump on the ballot
A shitload of MAGA types in 1984 voted Democrat by instinct in 1984…..they now vote Magic R.
 
Yes on Portland.

Truly the best Waspish food city in the US…….but, might have the best the best sushi restaurant in the US and the best Pho place.

And, at least in the ‘70’s and ‘80’s, a shitload of Chi Psi’s were Moreheads…..or, a shitload of Moreheads were Chi Psi’s…..

I’m listening to a WUNC/NPR program featuring Hampton Dellinger who is a Michigan alum and a ??? Law School alum…..his Dad was a Duke law professor, Walter Dellinger.


I had a girlfriend that moved to Portland around 1981...we carried on that long distance thing for about 3 years and I visited her more often than I should have during that time. I loved an old bar called Three Dollar Dewey's back in those days and saw a lot of interesting music around town (she was a bonafide hipster). We'd take the ferries out to the islands in Casco Bay sometimes. I spent the month of January there once. It was like visiting another planet.
 
I doubt ANY Democrat can win the US Senate seat in North Carolina in 2026.

Terry Sanford won in 1986. Shampoo Boy in 1998. Kay Hagan in 2008. All one-term senators. That’s three US Senators in almost 40 years. The Democrats to win before 1986? Conservative Robert Morgan and segregationist Sam Ervin.

The US Senate race in 2026 in North Carolina will be a tight, hard-fought race.

Rural whites in North Carolina will say, “IAh laak Roy……but in DEEECEEE he’ll be unnother Commie.”
That's fair. I understand being pessimistic about the state's federal voting patterns. But right now, it seems to me the question is not what does the state typically do. It's whether THIS candidacy is the best one to buck the trend.

I could understand if someone thinks Jeff Jackson or someone would be a better candidate than Roy. I'd disagree, but I would understand that. I'm having a harder time understanding why someone wouldn't get behind Roy right now. It's hard to win a federal office as a Dem in NC. Roy is one of the very, very few who might be able to pull it off.

And that's especially true when his likely opponent is Michael Whatley, who has never held an elected office ANYWHERE, much less in NC. He's counting on his close connection with Trump to carry him through. He literally has nothing else. And I feel really good about the odds that Trump is more of a liability in 2026 than an asset.

So I really do get where you're coming from. I respect the HeelYeahs of the world a hell of a lot more than the callas, who are just all in on Trump's debauchery. But they're a problem in state elections. I get that. But it may be that HeelYeah is not the deciding voter in this election. Maybe it's someone a little to his left, who wants responsible, moderate governance, and recognizes a guy campaigning on his alliance with Trump is the opposite of that.
 
I would love to hear who you think has a better chance of winning a statewide election in NC than Roy Cooper. Cooper won statewide elections in NC in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020. He ran three points ahead of Hillary in 2016 and three points ahead of Biden in 2020. It's fine to pine for "inspiration" from a candidate but I would rather have a candidate who is a proven winner in NC elections, who will have a huge edge in name recognition, than some rando who you happen to think is "inspiring."
I think Cooper has the best chance to win the US Senate race as a Democrat in 2026.

I think he’s an underdog.

I also think he’s a boring as shit, uninspiring candidate.

Chuck Schumer fucked North Carolina AND the country when he screwed up and annointed Cal Cunningham instead of Jeff Jackson (did it again in the year Schumer annointed the woman who’d never run for office)

Cooper’s shot at winning a U.S. Senate seat is predicated on a major recession - I don’t want a major recession.
 
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