Roy Cooper’s Senate Campaign Focuses on Economic Relief and Disaster Recovery
In a bid to shift the political landscape in North Carolina, Democratic Senate hopeful Roy Cooper made a stop in Hendersonville on Thursday, where he addressed key issues like economic policies and the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
The event at Oklawaha Brewery drew an audience of over 200 people eager to hear Cooper, the former governor, as he goes head-to-head with Michael Whatley, the former Republican National Committee chairman, this coming fall.
Cooper, acknowledging the historical challenge of electing a Democrat to the U.S. Senate from North Carolina, expressed a clear agenda should his party gain control of the Senate. He emphasized a focus on increasing funding for Helene recovery efforts and reducing everyday costs for constituents.
“We can roll back these tariffs,” Cooper stated, pointing to the Trump administration’s tariffs on dozens of countries. “You know, Congress can take back its constitutional authority on trade and tariffs and roll them back and help these small businesses and consumers who are getting the brunt of the cost on this.”
Felicia Sonmez
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BPR News
Cooper’s campaign slogan, “Make Stuff Cost Less,” resonated with attendees like Craig Wilson from Transylvania County. Wilson, a 76-year-old Democrat, criticized the Trump administration’s tariffs and the ongoing conflict in Iran, both of which have driven up costs for essentials like fuel and groceries.
“The Democrats have to get power in the Senate and provide a check,” Wilson shared. “But we’ve got to have some answers — what are we going to do different?”
Felicia Sonmez
/
BPR News
Addressing the financial impact of Hurricane Helene, Cooper highlighted that North Carolina has only received about 15% reimbursement from the federal government for the estimated $60 billion in damages. He criticized Whatley for his lack of advocacy for more federal aid in recent budget proposals.
“This administration promised a lot. Michael Whatley promised a lot,” Cooper remarked to reporters. “They’ve delivered very little. And when I get to Washington, I’m going to work on both sides of the aisle to make sure that western North Carolina gets more recovery.”
According to a recent Elon University poll, Cooper is currently leading Whatley by 11 points among likely voters. However, the Whatley campaign has fired back, criticizing Cooper’s gubernatorial record.
“Candidate Cooper is once again bashing Governor Cooper’s failed record of higher costs for North Carolina families,” said DJ Griffin, a spokesperson for the Whatley campaign. “If Candidate Cooper wants to ‘make stuff cost less,’ he oughta look in the mirror and have a prayer meeting with Governor Cooper.”
Voters will have their say on these issues and more come Election Day, slated for Tuesday, November 3.
