Republicans in North Carolina are pressing party donors and allied groups for additional funding to amplify attacks on Gov. Roy Cooper ahead of the 2026 election, focused squarely on crime and pandemic-era restrictions as their central themes.
Strategy centers on crime, COVID-era decisions
Party operatives say the plan is straightforward: keep attention on instances they describe as Cooper’s failed responses to crime and public-health policy. In their telling, those issues underline a broader portrayal of Cooper as a career politician whose decisions, they argue, made life less safe and more expensive for residents.
“The campaign is humming, our partners are aligned across the board, and every day from now until Election Day is about one thing: sending Roy Cooper into retirement,”
The GOP also points to Cooper’s settlements with civil-rights groups during the pandemic that led to releases from crowded prisons. Some released individuals later were arrested for new offenses, and Republican strategists pin responsibility for those outcomes on the governor. Cooper’s campaign pushes back, saying Republican nominee Mark Whatley bears responsibility for advocating prisoner releases amid COVID-19.
Money and media markets
Fundraising and ad buys are crucial in a state that contains several expensive television markets. Republican officials say they still hope for increased funding even as major GOP groups have already committed sizable sums to the race.
| Group | Commitment | Reserved Broadcast Ads |
|---|---|---|
| Senate Leadership Fund (GOP-aligned) | $71 million committed | $36 million+ reserved starting in September |
- Primary messages: Crime and pandemic restrictions.
- Republican claim: Cooper’s pandemic-era decisions worsened safety and affordability.
- Cooper campaign response: Whatley pushed for prisoner releases during COVID.
Republican officials also note lingering frustration within the party over Cooper’s shutdown orders early in the pandemic, such as restrictions on religious gatherings and hospital visitors, which they say remain potent themes for persuading voters in some parts of the state.
How durable those memories are with voters, and whether additional ad spending will shift the dynamics, remains a key question as both campaigns prepare for the stretch run. With broadcast time in major North Carolina markets costly, campaign leaders on both sides are weighing how best to allocate resources to reach wide and diverse electorates across the state.
The coming months will test whether more money moves the needle for Republicans or whether Cooper’s record and the Democratic response blunt the intended attacks.
