September 16, 2026 | Commentary | Natalie Baldassarre

Roy Cooper Already Had his Shot - And He Failed

Commentary

President Trump kicks off the final sprint to November tonight with his first rally since the Republican Convention.   

 

The president will join Michael Whatley in North Carolina to help make the case against Roy Cooper, a failed 40-year politician who made the state more expensive and less safe.

 

As a reminder:

  • Cooper oversaw the early release of over 4,000 violent criminals from jail, including Iryna Zarutska’s killer who had 14 prior arrests, along with murderers, drug dealers, child rapists, and sexual predators. Cooper believes people are “frustrated” he didn’t release more. 
  • Cooper marched to defund the police and launched an “equity” task force that pushedto “reimagine public safety,” eliminate cash bail, send social workers to 911 calls, and imposed mandatory “structural racism” and “implicit bias” training. 
  • Under Cooper, North Carolinians paid the highest health care costs in the nation, electric bills rose, housing costs increased, and grocery bills grew.  
  • Cooper oversaw nearly $50 million in fraudulent unemployment payments, including to illegal aliens. 
  • Cooper turned North Carolina into a sanctuary for criminal illegal aliens, paved the way for illegal aliens to get driver’s licenses, and tried to keep non-citizens on North Carolina’s voter rolls. 
  • Cooper forced men into women’s sports and bathrooms, supported sex change surgeries for kids, and fought to strip parents’ rights.  
  • Cooper botched hurricane recovery in North Carolina:
    • Vetoed a key Hurricane Helene relief bill.
    • Never appointed a dedicated disaster recovery coordinator.
    • Mismanaged recovery efforts.
    • Was in New York bragging about his Green New Deal agenda during Helene preparations.

“North Carolinians have a choice between Roy Cooper – a soft-on-crime 40-year career politician with a failed record of raising costs – or Michael Whatley – a proven conservative leader who will stand with President Trump, support law enforcement, and push for policies that put working families first. Cooper already had a shot at running the state and blew it – voters don’t need a sequel. – Natalie Baldassarre, RNC National Press Secretary