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Cooper's Missing Coattails

Gov. Roy Cooper speaks during a briefing at the Emergency Operations Center on June 2, 2020.
Gov. Roy Cooper speaks during a briefing at the Emergency Operations Center on June 2, 2020.

Down-ballot Democrats struggled in North Carolina’s 2020 elections. While Gov. Roy Cooper garnered a hefty lead over his challenger, Republicans furthered their control over the council of state and general assembly. While there is expected friction between Cooper and the GOP legislature over the usual issues like Medicaid expansion and public school funding, the party lines are drawn differently in the council of state.

Host Frank Stasio discusses statewide election results with political scientist Chris Cooper.

The incumbent state treasurer and insurance commissioner have often stood apart from party allies. Plus, there are multiple statewide races that remain too close to call, as of Nov. 11. Why the razor-thin margins in the races for attorney general and chief justice? Host Frank Stasio discusses the expected political negotiations and stalemates with Chris Cooper, political science professor and department head at Western Carolina University.

Copyright 2020 North Carolina Public Radio

Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.
Grant Holub-Moorman is a producer for The State of Things, WUNC's daily, live talk show that features the issues, personalities and places of North Carolina.