Make Stuff Cost Less Rally

Earlier this month, I rallied a crowd in Durham for our Make Stuff Cost Less tour

Earlier this month, I was in Durham for our Make Stuff Cost Less tour.

Here’s what what I said to our 400+ crowd:

Hello Durham! I’m Roy Cooper and I’m running for U.S. Senate!

What a great crowd! It’s amazing to see so many friends new and old. So many people are energized and determined to make a difference. Are we fired up? I know I am. And what about a hand for our great Governor Josh Stein? Appreciate your leadership, Governor, and thanks for joining us tonight. And will all our elected officials in the house tonight please raise your hands! Let’s give them a hand. We’re grateful for your service. And will all the candidates for office on the ballot this November please raise your hands! Let’s give them our support! Thank you all for stepping up. I want to recognize one in particular, whose re-election matters for true justice - state Supreme Court Justice Anita Earls! And I want to recognize my amazing wife and partner in life, Kristin who’s here with us.

So after serving as your Governor and as Attorney General before that, I have to admit that going to Washington DC just wasn’t in my plan. All my public service has been in North Carolina, because this is where I wanted to serve - right here at home in the state I love so much.

So when I left the Governor’s office in January of last year, the first thing I did was rip off the tie. I spent time at my farm, read some books, watched sports and enjoyed being with my family.

But in the weeks and months after I left office, I watched how the people of our state were being treated by politicians in Washington DC. What I saw was unacceptable.

Working people being left behind. Folks working more just to end up with less. The cost of groceries, health care, utilities, rent and child care skyrocketing. For too many families there is just too much month at the end of the money. And now, with the war in Iran, here comes higher gas prices – another burden on working families. The chaos in Washington is making life worse for most people, while the wealthiest get further ahead. And I kept thinking, “This is not right. It’s time for a change.” I used to tell my parents that they left a better country for my brother and me. But right now, we have a lot of work to do if we want to leave a better country for our children.

So I thought about what I needed to do. In church I kept thinking about the verse in the book of Luke: “To whom much is given, much is required.”

And I thought about all the blessings I’ve been given in my life. Growing up in eastern North Carolina. Friday night was football. Sunday morning was church. My public school teacher mom and hard working dad who had me working on the farm every summer until I went to college. The amazing public school education I received in Nash County and at UNC. My Sunday school classes I taught for decades. Getting to wake up every morning leading the state I love with all my heart. And most importantly my amazing wife and three fantastic daughters. I had been given all that and I knew what was required.

I couldn’t sit back and watch the people of my state get treated this way. Not without a fight!. That’s why I’m a candidate for the United States Senate.

Let me tell you why I’m running.

I’m running for people like Melissa and Kewanna, who just told you how they’re struggling to afford food and health care because stuff just costs too much.

I’m running for people like Meredith in Winston-Salem whose daughter Vivian might lose her critical medical treatment because of attacks on health care launched from Washington.

I’m running for people like Alex in Fayetteville and her husband who serves in the military at Fort Bragg whose family food budget is being hammered by grocery prices that are way higher now than they were a year ago.

And all while Congress sits there acting like they can’t do anything about it. Yes you can guys! Yes WE can.

We can stop the chaotic tariffs that are driving up prices. We can take on insurance companies that are crushing working families with hidden fees and denied claims. We can rally together to save Medicaid and Medicare, deliver relief for families facing higher utility bills and so much more. Because North Carolina can’t afford any more excuses - we need to make stuff cost less!

The people of our state inspire me every day. They work hard, they care about their children and parents and they help their neighbors. North Carolinians also know how to speak up when we need change. And right now, you are making your voices heard.

In North Carolina, we know how to make things work and I have the receipts to prove it.

Adding hundreds of thousands of better paying jobs in the third fastest growing state in the country.

Prosecuting violent criminals, child sex predators and drug traffickers to keep our communities safe.

Signing new laws to put tougher sentences on gang leaders and those who assault law enforcement officers.

Passing middle class tax cuts for hardworking North Carolinians.

Creating paid parental leave.

Taking on big corporations that rip off families and scam seniors.

Getting more than 720,000 people health insurance by expanding Medicaid.

That last one was a big deal.

So many people told us it couldn’t be done. It was a long fight, but we brought Democrats and Republicans together and we never gave up. Together, we delivered affordable health care to hundreds of thousands of working North Carolinians. We get hard things done here in North Carolina, and we can get hard things done in Washington too.

But right now, DC is broken. I think it needs a dose of good ole North Carolina common sense. It needs leaders who will stand up to the billionaires and the DC insiders who are getting all the breaks. It needs leaders who never, ever give up on doing what’s right for the people.

Are you with me?

That’s good, because we have a lot of work ahead. My opponent doesn’t see it that way. Michael Whatley is a DC insider and Big Oil Lobbyist who cares more about lining the pockets of his billionaire buddies than helping you and your family. He’s spent his career lobbying for utility companies like Duke Energy while your monthly electric bills climbed higher and higher. And when this administration put him in charge of federal Helene recovery in Western North Carolina, he failed.

He championed massive cuts to Medicaid that will rip health care away from working families. And he helped lead the charge to gut the Affordable Care Act, sending health care costs through the roof for millions.

How out of touch is Michael Whatley? While your costs are going up, Michael Whatley says prices are down!

Let’s ask Kewanna’s family who is getting crushed by rising grocery costs if they think prices are down. Let’s ask Melissa who’s struggling to afford health care if she thinks prices are down. And meanwhile, Michael Whatley keeps cheering on the policies that made it all cost more. It’s wrong and our state deserves better.

Let me tell you what kind of Senator I will be. I will always put the people of North Carolina first, before politics, before party, before power. As Senator, you - the people of North Carolina - will be my total focus.

I know many of you are frustrated right now. I think North Carolina families have had enough – it’s time for a change. Folks, I am a prisoner of hope. I truly believe our best days are ahead of us. I believe that people can rise up and choose leaders who want to return the power from Washington DC to where it belongs- the people. But change is going to take hard work. So:

Are you ready for change?

Are you ready to fight for our state?

Are you ready to take this energy all the way to November?

Do you want to Make Stuff Cost Less?

Well I do too! Let’s keep it going and let’s win this thing, North Carolina!

– Roy Cooper

P.S. You can watch my remarks here!