Scoop: Cooper plans to enter North Carolina Senate race next week

Former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) is preparing to launch his Senate campaign next week, multiple sources told Axios.Why it matters: Cooper is the Democratic Party's top recruit in 2026, bolstering their chances of flipping a critical seat from Republicans.Cooper, a popular former governor, will instantly become the Democratic favorite to challenge the GOP for the open Senate seat next year.The party's leadership, including Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), has lobbied Cooper for months to run.The big picture: Cooper and Democrats will now await a decision from Lara Trump, President Trump's daughter-in-law, who essentially has the right of first refusal on the GOP side.Democrats see their path as widening in the North Carolina Senate race after Sen. Thom Tillis' retirement announcement last month.Cooper was floated as a possible vice presidential candidate in 2024, but opted instead for a stint at Harvard at the beginning of this year.Former Rep. Wiley Nickel, a Democrat who served for one term before Republicans redrew his seat before the 2024 election, announced a Senate bid in April.

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