VOLUME 10 ISSUE 23 | THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2025
NSJONLINE.COM
PJ WARD-BROWN / NORTH STATE JOURNAL
Roy Cooper, pictured in November at an election night party in Raleigh, announced Monday he is running for U.S. Senate.
the
Cooper enters Senate race to replace Tillis
BRIEF this week
Raleigh chosen as USDA hub in reorganization Springfield, Ill. The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to move thousands of employees out of Washington, D.C., aiming to save money and bring them closer to farmers and ranchers. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced last Thursday that around 2,600 workers will relocate to five hubs, including one in Raleigh. The plan is part of President Donald Trump’s effort to make the federal government more efficient. The goal is to resize the department so that costs don’t outstrip available finances, as well as eliminate layers of management and consolidate redundant functions, the statement said. The department expects the plan to take several months. It follows a workforce reduction of more than 15,000 department-wide through voluntary retirements earlier this year.
The former governor joins RNC Chair Michael Whatley as the biggest names vying for the seat
America250 NC holds latest legislative meeting Mile markers and civic engagement opportunities were discussed By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — The North Carolina General Assembly’s Centennial Committee met on July 24 to discuss preparations for America’s 250th anniversary. Amber McClure, senior di-
rector of Civic Engagement for the YMCA of the Triangle and state director of NC Youth & Government, gave a presentation on the importance of civic participation and proposed initiatives such as civic community celebrations, youth civic “Bees” and writing contests, as well as virtual field trips. The committee reviewed the highway marker program, discussing how a broader See MEETING, page A3
By Cory Lavalette North State Journal RALEIGH — Former Gov. Roy Cooper made official what has been speculated since his second term in the Executive Mansion ended: He’s running for U.S. Senate. “I have thought on it and prayed about it, and I have decided: I am running to be the next U.S. Senator from North Carolina,” Cooper said in a Monday morning post on X with an accompanying video. The 68-year-old Democrat will be vying for the Senate seat vacated by Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, who announced in late June that he would not seek reelection in 2026 for a third term in Washington. Cooper was governor of North Carolina from 2017 un-
Nickel exits U.S. Senate race Cary Former U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel abandoned his bid to replace Sen. Thom Tillis in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, a day after fellow Democrat Roy Cooper announced his candidacy. Nickel endorsed fellow Cooper, citing leadership and inspiration by the former two-term governor. Cooper launched his run Monday, and his campaign said the following day that the Nash County native had raised more than $3.4 million in the day since he announced his candidacy. Nickel, who didn’t run for reelection in the U.S. House last year due to redistricting, will reportedly pivot and run for attorney general in Wake County.
$2.00
State Board of Elections approves changes 2001,000 Estimated “never resident” voters in North Carolina
Changes include overseas and military voting, same-day voter registrations, and “never resident” voters By A.P. Dillon North State Journal RALEIGH — The North Carolina State Board of Elections made several significant changes to requirements for voting at its July 21 meeting, including overseas and military photo ID, same-day voter registration and “never resident” voting. The North Carolina State Board of Elections (NCSBE), which has a 3-2 Republican majority, also dismissed
a complaint against Cumberland County Board of Elections Chair Linda Devore regarding her role at the NCGOP Convention, finding no legal violations. The NCSBE voted unanimously to approve changes to overseas and military voting that require photo ID in municipal elections starting this year. Overseas and military voters can upload their ID using an online portal or mail a copy. The NCSBE also unanimously approved continuation of its current process for same-day voter registration, citing federal litigation over 2023 legislative changes. NCSBE General Counsel See CHANGES, page A3
til January, when his second term ended. Governors are limited to two terms in North Carolina. His run as governor came after he served 16 years as the state’s attorney general, a decade in the state Senate — where he was majority leader from 1997 to 2001 — and four years in the state House. Since he first ran and won a seat in the General Assembly in 1987, Cooper has not lost an election. “There is no one who loves North Carolina more than Roy Cooper,” North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton said in a statement. “From expanding Medicaid for hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians, to working across the aisle to balance the budget and bring good-paying jobs to our state, to taking on scammers and criminals as attorney general, Governor Cooper has always put us first. Roy Cooper is one of the best champions North Carolina has ever had, and we are See SENATE, page A2