North Carolina — U.S. Senate

D Democratic Roy Cooper

Lowers grocery prices and bans dynamic pricing

Cooper campaigns on a platform titled Make Stuff Cost Less, prioritizing lowering prices for groceries and everyday goods. He advocates for aggressive antitrust enforcement against corporate food mergers and bans on dynamic pricing algorithms.

• Block anti-competitive mergers in grocery retail and food processing.
• Ban pricing algorithms that adjust grocery prices based on specific individual consumers.
• Make it illegal for food producers to use digital tools to collude on supply and prices.
• Roll back tariffs that increase costs for farmers, grocers, and consumers.

“Roy Cooper is running for U.S. Senate to make stuff cost less, starting with the price of food and groceries.”

“I’m running for Senate because it’s time for that to change.”

R Republican Michael Whatley

Promotes fiscal restraint and economic growth

Whatley connects economic recovery to reining in federal spending and expanding domestic production. He promises to advance President Trump's America First economic agenda in the Senate.

• Rein in reckless federal spending in Washington to curb inflation.
• Empower American workers and support a booming agricultural and rural economy.
• Enact President Trump's national economic agenda.

“America’s economic strength depends on reliable, affordable energy and reining in Washington’s reckless spending.”

“More money in your pockets, safe communities, and a strong country.”

D Democratic Roy Cooper

Highlights law enforcement and anti-drug record

Cooper points to his past tenure as Attorney General and Governor, highlighting historic drops in crime rates and bipartisan efforts to combat the opioid epidemic. He defends his record of funding public safety and supporting law enforcement.

• Oversaw a 30 percent decrease in state crime rates while serving as Attorney General.
• Launched the state Opioid Action Plan, cutting opioid prescriptions by 24 percent.
• Worked across party lines to create safer communities and support law enforcement.

“As North Carolina’s top law enforcement official, Roy protected families across the state.”

R Republican Michael Whatley

Ends cashless bail and expands policing

Whatley frames public safety as a central theme of his campaign, advocating for a return to law and order. He promises to eliminate cashless bail, increase police pay, and keep violent offenders incarcerated.

• Roll back cashless bail and expansive pretrial release policies.
• Increase funding to put more police officers on the street with higher compensation.
• Impose stricter incarceration policies for repeat violent offenders.
• Stand shoulder to shoulder with President Trump to restore law and order.

“We need policies that are going to put more cops on the street, that are going to pay them better, and we need policies that are going to put dangerous criminals behind bars, not back on our streets.”

“As your next U.S. Senator, I will stand shoulder to shoulder with President Trump to restore law and order, roll back dangerous and lenient Democrat policies, back the blue without apology, and put law-abiding North Carolinians first.”

D Democratic Roy Cooper

Opposes mandatory sheriff cooperation with ICE

As governor, Cooper vetoed state legislation that would have mandated local sheriffs to cooperate with federal ICE authorities. His federal platform focuses primarily on economic and healthcare policies rather than new immigration initiatives.

• Vetoed state legislation requiring local sheriffs to detain and transfer undocumented immigrants to ICE.

R Republican Michael Whatley

Supports border closure and mass deportations

Whatley fully aligns with President Trump's immigration stance, prioritizing total border security. He pledges to support the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants with criminal records.

• Fully support President Trump's plan to secure the southern border.
• Execute mass deportations of criminal undocumented immigrants.
• Prevent undocumented immigrants from receiving taxpayer benefits and trafficking drugs.

“I 100% support President Trump securing the border and deporting the millions of criminal illegal aliens that Joe Biden and Roy Cooper allowed into this country.”

D Democratic Roy Cooper

Overhauls FEMA to accelerate disaster response

Following the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Cooper advocates for recreating and overhauling FEMA to ensure federal emergency response is efficient. He cites his gubernatorial leadership overseeing over $3 billion in storm recovery.

• Recreate and reform FEMA to make federal emergency response faster and more effective.
• Build on his experience directing $3.2 billion in disaster recovery investments as governor.

“recreate FEMA, because clearly, it has been almost destroyed. It's critical for us to have a federal agency ready to step up to help ... when these disasters strike.”

R Republican Michael Whatley

Reforms FEMA via Presidential Review Council

Appointed by President Trump to the FEMA Review Council, Whatley emphasizes reforming federal disaster management. He highlights delivering record recovery aid to North Carolina communities affected by Hurricane Helene.

• Serve on the President's FEMA Review Council to evaluate and improve federal response capabilities.
• Deliver billions in disaster relief aid for Hurricane Helene recovery in North Carolina.
• Present White House recommendations to streamline emergency management.

“I have worked with the Trump administration to deliver more aid for Hurricane Helene recovery than any other recovery project in the history of North Carolina.”

D Democratic Roy Cooper

Builds housing and bans rent-setting algorithms

Cooper addresses rising housing costs by proposing restrictions on institutional buyers and dynamic rent algorithms. He also supports incentives to construct modular and multi-family homes.

• Provide incentives for multi-family and modular construction to increase home supply.
• Restrict large corporations, investment funds, and foreign companies from buying single-family homes.
• Ban algorithm-driven rent-setting software used by corporate landlords.
• End tariffs on construction materials like lumber, steel, and aluminum.

“Stop the bad actors driving up the price of housing for families across the state and make housing cost less.”

R Republican Michael Whatley

Promotes homeownership through overall economic strength

Whatley connects housing affordability to broader economic growth, promising to foster a state economy where families can afford homes and build wealth.

• Create an economic environment where workers can afford to buy homes and raise families in North Carolina.

“A better state where you can buy a home, raise a family and see your kids do better than you did – right here in the Old North State.”

D Democratic Roy Cooper

Modernizes grid and protects consumers from rate hikes

Cooper proposes modernizing the energy grid and preventing tech data centers from passing power costs onto average utility ratepayers. He also advocates banning utility cutoffs during extreme weather.

• Ensure data centers pay full energy costs to prevent rate hikes on consumers.
• Encourage tech companies to build dedicated internal energy sources.
• Ban utility disconnections during extreme hot and cold weather.
• Modernize the energy grid to boost reliability and lower utility bills.

“Roy Cooper will work to deliver common-sense solutions that cut costs and protect families from being ripped off.”

R Republican Michael Whatley

Unleashes domestic energy to cut costs

Whatley advocates unleashing domestic energy production to achieve energy independence and lower utility prices. He cites his background leading presidential transition energy and environment teams.

• Unleash domestic energy production to achieve national energy independence.
• Lower energy prices for consumers and businesses through expanded energy production.
• Utilize experience overseeing federal farm and energy policy development.

“By practicing fiscal responsibility and unleashing American energy, we can empower American workers, create good-paying jobs, achieve energy independence, and build lasting prosperity for every American.”

D Democratic Roy Cooper

Opposes tariffs and asserts congressional authority

Cooper opposes executive trade tariffs, asserting that constitutional authority over tariffs belongs to Congress. He pledges to vote in the Senate to roll back tariffs that raise costs for agricultural producers and consumers.

• Vote to roll back federal tariffs on international goods.
• Reassert congressional constitutional authority over international trade policy.
• Protect agricultural producers and construction firms from tariff-related cost increases.

“The United States Supreme Court was clear that the constitutional authority on trade and tariffs rest[s] with Congress. I will vote to roll back the tariffs.”

R Republican Michael Whatley

Supports America First trade and farm policies

Whatley supports President Trump's America First trade agenda, having led transition teams focused on agricultural and energy trade strategy.

• Support President Trump's America First trade policies.
• Promote farm plans developed during the presidential transition to support rural economies.

D Democratic Roy Cooper

Supports public education funding and LGBTQ rights

Cooper emphasizes public school funding, higher teacher salaries, and economic inclusivity over social culture wars. As governor, he repealed bathroom restrictions in HB 2, expanded pre-K programs, and prohibited conversion therapy state funding.

• Increase public school funding and raise teacher compensation.
• Repealed bathroom provisions of HB 2 to protect state economic development.
• Issued an executive order banning state funding for conversion therapy.

“My warning to people is that we won't continue to be first in business if we become last in education.”

R Republican Michael Whatley

Protects life, 2nd Amendment, and traditional values

Whatley commits to defending traditional conservative principles in the Senate. He vows to protect anti-abortion policies, defend gun rights, and eliminate progressive social curricula from public schools.

• Keep radical progressive ideology out of public school classrooms.
• Protect anti-abortion principles and defend the right to life.
• Defend Second Amendment gun rights against federal restrictions.

“From defending Second Amendment rights, to protecting life, supporting our law enforcement, and keeping radical woke ideology out of schools, I will fight night and day against the Left’s agenda.”

D Democratic Roy Cooper

Expands coverage and lowers prescription costs

Building on his gubernatorial achievement of Medicaid expansion, Cooper offers a multi-point plan to lower healthcare costs. He advocates for protecting doctor autonomy, reinstating ACA tax credits, capping drug costs, and curbing surprise billing.

• Allow doctors rather than insurance bureaucrats to make medical coverage decisions.
• Reinstate ACA tax credits and reverse Medicaid cuts to reduce health insurance premiums.
• Broaden Medicare prescription drug negotiations and cap out-of-pocket prescription drug costs.
• Curb surprise medical billing by capping out-of-network non-emergency charges.
• Mandate hospital auto-enrollment in charity care to prevent consumer medical debt.

“He will take that same common sense bipartisanship to Washington to make health care cost less the way he’s done his entire career.”

D Democratic Roy Cooper

Expands child care tax credits and provider support

Cooper presents a detailed plan to lower child care costs for working and stay-at-home parents. His platform includes expanding tax credits, funding workforce apprenticeships, reducing unnecessary facility regulations, and offering employer incentives.

• Expand the Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit for working families.
• Invest in apprenticeships and higher wages for child care workers.
• Streamline child care facility regulations without sacrificing safety.
• Provide tax credits to employers providing child care subsidies or on-site care.

“Lower the cost of child care for parents who work and parents who stay at home.”