Roy Cooper broke fundraising records in his first 24 hours as a Senate candidate — a massive cash boost the former North Carolina governor will need for what’s expected to become one of the most expensive statewide campaigns in U.S. history.

Former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper will run for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina, giving Democrats a proven statewide winner in an open-seat race that is expected to be one of the most competitive 2026 contests.

With former Gov. Roy Cooper widely viewed as Democrats’ best bet of flipping outgoing Sen. Thom Tillis's (R-NC) seat, former Democratic Rep. Wiley Nickel declined to mount a primary challenge against him.