Gov. Roy Cooper waves after speaking outside the North Carolina Democratic Party headquarters in Raleigh in November 2020. Next to Cooper is his wife, Kristin Cooper.
Ethan Hyman
ehyman@newsobserver.com
Raleigh
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has made his career in public service since 1987.
After spending time in both the House and Senate, he was elected as attorney general in 2000. He was reelected in 2004, 2008 and 2012.
In 2016, Cooper was elected governor, and he was reelected in 2020. North Carolina governors are limited to two consecutive terms.
Here are some photos from his three-plus decades in politics.
Sen. Roy Cooper, right, and Sen. Bill Martin talk on the floor of the Senate in August 1997. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
N.C. State Senator Roy Cooper, left, talks with House members, clockwise from left, Rep. Bob Hensley, Rep. Howard Hunter, Rep. Joe Hackney, Rep. Mickey Michaux, and Rep. Dan Blue in May 1998. Sen. Cooper and Rep. Ed McMahan are pushing a joint House-Senate redistricting plan. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper works the crowd at the his inaugural cocktail party with his 6 year old daughter Clair in January 2001. Mel Nathanson News & Observer file photo
Actor Andy Griffith drives his 1935 Packard convertible over the newly-opened Virginia Dare Memorial Bridge as North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley stands up in the back of the vehicle in August 2002 in Manteo, N.C. Also shown, from background left, are Griffith’s wife, Cindi, North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper, and Easley’s wife, Mary. DREW WILSON DREW WILSON
N.C. Attorney General Roy Cooper addresses the media in during a press conference at the RBC Center in August 2007, in which Cooper said that he is dropping the remaining charges against Duke lacrosse players. Kevin Seifert The Herald-Sun file photo
Gov. Roy Cooper dances with first lady Kristin Cooper at the inaugural ball to celebrate his inauguration at Marbles Kids Museum in downtown Raleigh on Friday, Jan. 6, 2017. Casey Toth News & Observer file photo
Gov. Roy Cooper watches the action during a game played between the Carolina Hurricanes and the Toronto Maple Leafs at PNC Arena in February 2017. Gov. Cooper is an avid Canes hockey fan. Chris Seward News & Observer file photo
N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper waits to speak as thousands of teachers crowd the Bicentennial Mall in Raleigh in May 2018 during the “March for Students and Rally for Respect,” the largest act of organized teacher political action in state history. Chuck Liddy News & Observer file photo
Gov. Roy Cooper, left, shakes hands with House Speaker Tim Moore, center and Senate Leader Phil Berger prior to Cooper’s biennial State of the State address to a joint session of the General Assembly at the Legislative Building Monday evening, Feb. 26, 2019. TRAVIS LONG tlong@newsobserver.com
N.C. Governor Roy Cooper talks with Joyce Davis at an event feeding victims of Hurricane Florence at the Bright Hopewell Baptist Church in Laurinburg in Sept. 2018. Cooper was on a tour of agricultural areas hit hard by the storm. Scott Sharpe ssharpe@newsobserver.com
Gov. Roy Cooper removes his mask before speaking during a briefing on North Carolina’s coronavirus pandemic response Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2021 at the NC Emergency Operations Center in Raleigh. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
N.C. State Roy Cooper rolls up his sleeve for Carolyn Knaup, RN, as he prepares to receive his COVID-19 vaccination at WakeMed in Raleigh on March 3, 2021. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
VinFast CEO Le Thi Thu Thuy and Gov. Roy Cooper sit inside a VF8 electric car outside the Raleigh Convention Center following an announcement that the company will build a manufacturing facility in Chatham County in March 2022. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and House Speaker Tim Moore relish in North Carolina’s 81-77 victory over Duke in the NCAA Final Four semi-final on Saturday, April 2, 2022 at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, La. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Gov. Roy Cooper speaks with kindergarten student Sankeerthana Lolla while eating lunch at Bethesda Elementary School in Durham, N.C in October 2022. Cooper visited the school to announce new agreements to bring food from North Carolina farmers and producers to schools. Kaitlin McKeown Raleigh
N.C. Governor Roy Cooper prepares to crank the warning siren to kickoff the Carolina Hurricanes Fan Fest in downtown Raleigh Friday, Feb. 17, 2023. The festival is part of the celebrations before the Carolina Hurricanes’ Stadium Series outdoor game against the Washington Capitals Saturday at Carter-Finley Stadium. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
Gov. Roy Cooper visits a kindergarten class while touring Washington Magnet Elementary School in Raleigh on May 23, 2023. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
Vice President Kamala Harris, President Joe Biden and Gov. Roy Cooper join each other on stage after speeches on heath care during a campaign stop at the Chavis Community Center in Raleigh on Tuesday, March 26, 2024. Travis Long tlong@newsobserver.com
Vice President Kamala Harris, joined by N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper, speaks while visiting Durham’s historic Black Wall Street district on Friday March 1, 2024. Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi lperezu@newsobserver.com
N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper celebrates with Attorney General Josh Stein after Stein won the Democratic primary for governor. The two celebrated during a North Carolina Democrats primary election night party at Maywood Hall and Gardens in Raleigh Tuesday, March 5, 2024. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper speaks during the North Carolina Democratic Party Unity Dinner at the Raleigh Convention Center Saturday, July 20, 2024 Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper speaks Aug 22, 2024 during the final day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center. He introduced Vice President Kamala Harris before she accepted the party’s presidential nomination. Jasper Colt USA TODAY NETWORK
Vice President Kamala Harris and North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper walk into Bayleaf Market on Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
President Joe Biden listens to N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper as gets a briefing on the response to Hurricane Helene at the N.C. Emergency Operations Center in Raleigh, N.C., Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024. Ethan Hyman ehyman@newsobserver.com
Gov. Roy Cooper shakes hands with former North Carolina basketball coach Roy Williams following a ceremony during which Williams was awarded The Order of the Long Leaf Pine at the Executive Mansion on Thursday, Dec. 19, 2024, in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
Gov. Roy Cooper speaks at the Executive Mansion in 2024. Cooper is expected to announce his candidacy for U.S. Senate on July 28. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
Gov. Roy Cooper is photographed at the Executive Mansion on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown kmckeown@newsobserver.com
Jessica Banov is an editor and audience growth specialist at The News & Observer and The Herald-Sun. She is the night Breaking News Editor for McClatchy’s Southeast region and The N&O’s Features Editor. She also serves as The News & Observer’s intern program coordinator.
