Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina won his party’s primary Tuesday and will face Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Forest in the November general election, seeking a second term. It’s a race that Forest has long been preparing for.

Cooper enters that matchup flush with cash and hoping his reelection could help Democrats take back one or both General Assembly chambers.

Cooper defeated primary challenger Ernest Reeves, who ran a low-key campaign and reported raising little money. Forest beat state Rep. Holly Grange, benefiting from a statewide campaign network that he began forming after his first lieutenant governor’s victory in 2012. He was reelected in 2016.

Cooper enters the fall campaign with a huge fundraising advantage: $9.5 million in cash as of mid-February, compared with about $750,000 for Forest.

Cooper’s first term has been marked by political combat with GOP legislative leaders, who have carried out a conservative agenda while controlling the General Assembly since 2011.

But gains by the Democrats in the Legislature in 2018 have allowed his vetoes to be upheld, and he has blocked many right-leaning policies since. Cooper’s veto of the two-year state budget last summer led to an impasse with Republicans that is yet to be resolved.

Forest is a favorite of social conservatives, speaking out against abortion and in favor of the state’s 2016 “bathroom bill,” which required transgender students to use the restroom matching their sex on their birth certificate. The law has been partially repealed.

Forest also has championed broadband service for public schools and teaching students to be financially literate.

Related Stories
‹
Crowded Primaries in State Government Set Up Big Election Day
North Carolina’s Democratic governor will have to defend his seat against the highest ranking Republican official elected statewide in this fall’s general election if each wins his respective party primary next week. Gov. Roy Cooper and Lt. Gov. Dan Forest are running for their party nominations on Super Tuesday, as are candidates seeking the Council […]
Governor Cooper's Vetoes May Be Remembered Most in 2019
Many of North Carolina Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s lasting achievements in 2019 stem from keeping Republican policies from ever getting implemented. During a year-end interview with The Associated Press on Wednesday, Cooper cited successes in recruiting companies and jobs to the state, reducing the number of opioid deaths and moving the state toward cleaner energy […]
NC Governor Cooper Posts Gun Safety Action Plans
The Valentine’s Day shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, which took the lives of 17 students and teachers, has sparked a national conversation about gun control laws in the country. North Carolina’s Democratic Governor Roy Cooper posted on Wednesday on the website Medium, exactly one month after the shooting, his current actions […]
North Carolina Court: GOP Can Narrow Governor’s Appointment Powers on Some Boards
Written by GARY D. ROBERTSON RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Decade-long political quarrels over legislative and executive powers in North Carolina advanced Wednesday as a state appeals court permitted the Republican-controlled General Assembly to chip away at the Democratic governor’s appointment authority for several key commissions. The judges also said lawmakers went too far remaking other boards. A […]
UNC Women's Lacrosse Coach, Former Soccer Star Welcomed Into Order of the Long Leaf Pine
The governor inducted six people to the state's Order of the Long Leaf Pine on Friday, including two accomplished UNC sports figures.
North Carolina Governor Signs Criminal Justice Bill Into Law After Ukrainian Refugee’s Death
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein signed a criminal justice bill into law in response to the stabbing death of a Ukrainian refugee in Charlotte.
A Democratic Governor, A Republican Legislature: How Josh Stein Navigates North Carolina Politics
North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein has taken an unusual approach with Republicans in his first eight months leading the highly competitive state.
Latest Declaration by Gov. Stein Opens More Relief Opportunities for Orange County Flood Victims
Nearly a full month removed from Tropical Depression Chantal's significant rain and subsequent flooding, victims in Orange County and other impacted regions have a new way to seek individual relief.
Gov. Stein Surveys Flooding Damage in Chapel Hill, Pledges to 'Do Everything We Can' for Relief
Gov. Josh Stein toured some of the Chapel Hill residences and businesses damaged by Chantal's flooding nearly two weeks prior.
Gov. Stein Declares Emergency for Orange County to Help Chantal Flood Relief Efforts
Gov. Josh Stein issued a state of emergency declaration for Orange County after severe flooding, which could help spark disaster assistance.
›