Roy Asberry Cooper III is an American attorney and politician, serving as the 75th governor of North Carolina since 2017. Cooper was born in Nashville, North Carolina, and raised in Nash County.
A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 49th attorney general of North Carolina from 2001 to 2017 and in the North Carolina General Assembly in both the House of Representatives and Senate between 1987 and 2001.
In 2000, Cooper was elected attorney general of North Carolina. He was re-elected in 2004, 2008, and 2012. As attorney general, Cooper focused on consumer protection, environmental protection, and civil rights. He also fought against discrimination and worked to protect the rights of the poor and the elderly.
In 2016, Cooper ran for governor of North Carolina. He defeated Republican incumbent Pat McCrory in a close race. Cooper was sworn in as governor on January 1, 2017.
When was Roy Cooper elected governor of North Carolina?
Roy Cooper was elected governor of North Carolina on November 8, 2016. He was sworn in on January 1, 2017. When initial election results showed Cooper leading, McCrory claimed without evidence that the election had been manipulated by voter fraud.
Recounts resulted in slightly higher margins of victory for Cooper, and after an extended legal battle, McCrory conceded the election on December 5. Out of 4.7 million total ballots, Cooper won by 10,227 votes.
How long has Roy Cooper been governor?
On December 5, 2019, Cooper announced his candidacy for reelection. He won the November 3 election, defeating Republican nominee Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest by 4.4 points. He was re-elected in 2020 and will remain in office until January 1, 2025.