Roy Cooper indicated that he was running for governor less than a year into Pat McCrory’s term. He was so dismayed by the direction that Republicans were taking the state, that he felt obligated to jump into the race. Democrats cheered his announcement after two consecutive cycles on losing races to Republicans. Cooper would provide the leadership they needed.
After the initial flurry, though, Cooper seemed to return to his comfortable place of understated leadership. He occasionally scrapped with the General Assembly or criticized McCrory, but he never quite grabbed the mantle of leadership that Democrats wanted. Instead, the party continued to be somewhat leaderless and outside observers often saw the Moral Monday movement as having more influence than anything the party was doing.
This week, that changed. Cooper stepped up, taking a lead in criticizing the GOP’s push to void protections for LGBT citizens. Within minutes of the bill passing, Cooper released a video harshly criticizing the measure. And he’s never backed down, refusing to defend the law against lawsuits and calling it “a national embarrassment.”
Cooper didn’t follow a movement against the bill. He jumped in front of it, giving it a high-powered spokesperson and signaling that North Carolina has leaders willing to speak out on behalf of the LGBT community. He showed conviction and unambiguous support for people the GOP wanted to use as political footballs.
Republicans wanted to put Democrats on the defensive by making them look like the party that would allow men in women’s locker rooms. Instead, they quickly lost control of the message, in no small part, because Cooper’s quick and powerful response. He defined the terms of the debate and showed that Democrats would not stand for discrimination against LGBT citizens.
This week feels like the 2016 election cycle has officially begun and Roy Cooper feels like the leader of the Democratic Party, something that’s been missing for Democrats for a very long time. Cooper’s criticism has been that he is too cautious and measured. After this week, nobody should worry about that. He’s taking on the governor and the General Assembly from the position of a candidate and Attorney General. He might be outnumbered, but he’s holding his own. Let’s make sure we’ve got his back.
Roy Cooper lost my support by this promotion of letting people with peckers shower next to girls at YMCA’s, swimming pools, etc. And I thought nothing could be worse than current Governor Pat McCrory. The bottom line is that Southern states need to secede from the yankee nation, build a wall at the Mexican and Mason/Dixon line borders, and set our own standards not controlled by yankee greenback dollar bills.
Too bad it took the LGBT issue to stoke his fire. What about the policies agaInst workers that keep local governments from raising the minimum wage. The ability to fire someone based on race, sexual orientation, age, handicap and so on. What about the expansion of medicaid? Things that will uplift families so their lives can be better. As soon as he gets into office he is going to reverse the immoral transgender law. Something that I disagree with.
Too bad it took the LGBT issue to stoke his fire. What about the policies agaInst workers that keep local governments from raising the minimum wage. The ability to fire someone based on race, sexual orientation, age, handicap and so on. Ad soon as he gets into office he is going to re erse the transgender bill. Political posturing is right.
This is some b******* Cooper has been defending these racist policies and working against black lives for the last few years Voter ID, Jonathan Ferrell etc etc etc and only now after he makes it through the primary now he’s ready to take a stand..political posturing. And by the way I was a registered democrat now a poud independent will not be voting for the republicrat Cooper
Why would he take a more liberal position *after* the primary? That doesn’t make sense. I think he found an issue that stokes the base.
I am pleasantly surprised by how outspoken he has been on this issue and hope he keeps up the progressive attacks on how the regressive Republicans have taken this state backward.
Ok but wish there was more charisma and that he more obviously represented traditionally disempowered groups like women, black folks, latinos, asians, as well as the LGBT community.
I agree.