Roy Cooper campaigns in Charlotte in U.S. Senate race, tell me about this news in (https://www.wral.com/news/state/roy-cooper-campaigns-charlotte-u-s-senate-race-september-2026/)

In the 2026 North Carolina U.S. Senate race to succeed retiring Republican Senator Thom Tillis, former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper has been actively campaigning across the state, including key stops in Charlotte.

Key details of this campaign swing include:

• Core Campaign Platform: Cooper’s messaging in Charlotte centers heavily on the cost of living and economic affordability under his platform to lower everyday expenses. He has pledged to use federal oversight to curb corporate price-gouging, enhance antitrust enforcement in grocery and food supply chains, and push to repeal high federal tariffs that impact consumer prices and manufacturing.

• Touting Gubernatorial Record: Cooper frequently highlights his two terms as North Carolina’s governor, citing his bipartisan efforts working with the General Assembly to attract major corporate investments, expand paid parental leave, and add hundreds of thousands of jobs statewide.

• The General Election Matchup: Cooper is facing Republican nominee Michael Whatley, the former Republican National Committee chairman. Both parties consider the North Carolina seat essential to securing a Senate majority, turning it into one of the most high-stakes and heavily funded races in the nation.

• Strategic Focus on Mecklenburg County: Charlotte and its surrounding suburbs serve as an indispensable Democratic turnout engine and a key battleground for winning over moderate, suburban, and independent voters who will ultimately decide the statewide outcome.