North Carolina's former governor, Roy Cooper, has tossed his hat into the Senate race with a video dripping in down-home charm. Yet, this polished image sidesteps a tenure packed with divisive decisions that many Tar Heels might find hard to swallow.

According to Breitbart, Cooper launched his campaign Monday with nostalgic tales of middle-class life, promising to serve the people while conveniently glossing over his vetoes on parental rights and support for transgender procedures for minors. His record as governor paints a starkly different picture from the folksy lawyer he projects.

In his announcement, Cooper called the current national moment 'as fragile as any I can remember,' yet failed to own up to his own contributions to fear and division during his time in office. His rhetoric often leaned into alarmism, from climate change warnings to claims about women’s lives being at risk due to government overreach in healthcare.

Record of Vetoes Sparks Backlash

Cooper’s gubernatorial track record is a lightning rod for criticism, especially his veto of House Bill 574, which aimed to protect women’s sports. He dismissed the measure as 'neither fair nor needed,' arguing it inflamed political culture wars over a tiny group of vulnerable children.

That veto, along with others blocking a Parents’ Bill of Rights and banning transgender procedures for minors, was ultimately overridden by the Republican-led legislature. Still, his stance raises eyebrows about whose interests he truly prioritizes over North Carolina families.

His defense of these vetoes often framed them as protecting the state’s reputation and economy, but many see this as a dodge from addressing the real concerns of parents and athletes. The disconnect between his words and actions feels like a calculated play to appease a narrow, progressive base.

Culture War Stances Under Scrutiny

Cooper’s campaign video also skipped over his push to pressure pharmacies into distributing abortion pills and his 2021 veto of a bill protecting unborn children from abortion based solely on a Down syndrome diagnosis. These omissions suggest a reluctance to confront positions that might alienate moderate voters.

Then there’s his declaration of a 'state of emergency' over school choice, a move dripping with irony given that he sent his own children to elite private schools. This kind of double standard grates on those who see education freedom as a fundamental right, not a crisis.

Additionally, his veto of legislation requiring sheriffs to work with ICE on criminal undocumented immigrants has kept sanctuary policies alive in parts of the state. For many, this signals a troubling disregard for law enforcement’s role in community safety.

Political Hypocrisy and Party Lines

Cooper’s alignment with far-left priorities doesn’t stop there; he also vetoed a bill to strip DEI programs from state government in 2023, even as his daughter worked in a private role promoting similar initiatives. This family tie adds a layer of perceived conflict to an already contentious issue.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee has labeled him a 'radical, pro-Hamas leftist,' a sharp critique of his consistent lean toward progressive policies. While the label may sting, his record does little to counter the perception of being out of step with many North Carolinians’ values.

On the other side, President Trump has thrown his weight behind RNC Chair Michael Whatley for the same Senate seat, praising him as 'fantastic' and a strong pick for Washington. Though Whatley hasn’t officially entered the race, this endorsement signals a brewing showdown with grassroots momentum on the GOP side.

A Divisive Legacy in Play

As Cooper campaigns on a platform of serving the people, his past decisions loom large, casting doubt on whether his Senate bid can bridge the deep divides he helped widen. Many voters will likely weigh his nostalgic messaging against a history of vetoes and cultural stances that clash with traditional priorities.

His silence on these issues in the launch video feels less like an oversight and more like a strategy to dodge accountability. North Carolinians deserve a candid discussion about where he stands, not just a sepia-toned trip down memory lane.

Ultimately, this race could boil down to whether voters see Cooper as the humble advocate he claims to be or as a politician whose record betrays a far more radical agenda. The coming months will test if his folksy charm can outshine the hard truths of his time in office.