Roy Asberry Cooper III

Roy Asberry Cooper III was born on June 13, 1957, in Nashville, North Carolina. He was raised in Nash County, where he attended public schools and worked on his family's farm during the summers. Cooper earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. His career in public service began in the North Carolina General Assembly, where he served in both the House of Representatives (1987-1991) and the Senate (1991-2001). In 2000, he was elected as North Carolina's Attorney General, a position he held for four terms until 2017. He was then elected as the 75th Governor of North Carolina, serving two terms from 2017 to 2025. In July 2025, Cooper announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate.