Roy Cooper on Why North Carolina Could Become Trump's Biggest Problem

Summary

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The MeidasTouch Podcast — "Roy Cooper on Why North Carolina Could Become Trump's Biggest Problem"

Date: June 20, 2026
Host(s): Ben, Brett, and Jordy Meiselas
Guest: Roy Cooper (former Governor of North Carolina, Democratic Senate candidate)

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Overview

In this episode, the Meiselas brothers focus on North Carolina’s pivotal role in the 2026 elections and the dramatic political shifts underway in the state. Ben Meiselas leads a substantive discussion with former Governor Roy Cooper, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, about his campaign, policy priorities, the alarming drop in Trump’s approval ratings, and challenges facing everyday North Carolinians. The conversation contrasts Cooper’s pragmatic approach with the overtly MAGA-flavored candidacy of his Republican opponent, Michael Whatley.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Trump’s Freefall in North Carolina (00:26 – 04:10)

• Ron Filipkowski opens the episode by spotlighting Trump's plummeting approval ratings in North Carolina:

  "His current approval in North Carolina, net negative 22. And it continues to plummet." (00:29)

• The Senate race has become highly competitive after Cooper announced his candidacy; polls show him leading the Trump-aligned Michael Whatley by wide margins (up to 11–12 points).
• Whatley is portrayed as "Mr. MAGA," with his campaign messaging unapologetically tied to Trump's agenda.

Watley’s Embarrassing Moments & Lack of Local Connection (02:29 – 04:10)

• Whatley struggles with local culture questions, undermining his credibility as a genuine North Carolina advocate:

  "I saw you post about the Carolina Hurricanes. Yep. Who are your three favorite Hurricanes players?"
  [Awkward pause, dodges question]
  "I think we like them all. Don't have a favorite player. Look, I think that's a team that's loaded. …" (03:10)

• Highlights the disconnect between national MAGA priorities and local North Carolina concerns.

Leadership & Governing Across The Aisle (04:30 – 08:51)

• Ben prompts Cooper to reflect on real leadership versus political theater:

  “…politics is so kind of gamified right now...it was refreshing for me to see at the opening of the Obama presidential library…different presidents, different policies…just standing up there…represented a continuity and a peaceful transition of power and dignified leadership that I just feel is missing..." (04:34)

• Roy Cooper:

  "People want government to work, Ben. A lot of people don't pay attention to the politics of it. They just want their kids to go to good schools, they want health care...a good paying job...safe communities. And more than ever, we need leaders who are ready to step up and do the job." (05:40)

  • Recounts his record as Democratic governor with a Republican legislature:
    • Expanded Medicaid, providing coverage to 725,000 more people despite GOP resistance.
    • Achieved state carbon-neutral power sector legislation.
    • Orchestrated the largest medical debt relief program in the country—$6.5 billion wiped away.
  • Emphasizes that politics should be about public service — “Wanting to do something, not just be something.”

Economic Anxiety & Kitchen Table Issues (08:51 – 13:11)

• Ben asks for stories from the "Make Stuff Cost Less" tour.
• Roy Cooper describes North Carolinians struggling with:
  • Child care costs forcing parents to choose between work and family.

    “…having to decide whether it’s worth paying childcare…may not be able to work anymore…can’t afford the childcare.” (09:55)

  • $60/month spikes in utility bills.
  • Skyrocketing rents and health insurance loss due to GOP-pushed policy changes.

    “Hundreds of thousands of people…lose health care…because Michael Whatley encouraged and this administration pushed the one big, beautiful bill that took those health care subsidies away and now they're struggling to get health care.” (10:35)

  • “Too much month at the end of the money.”
  • His own platform includes tariff reforms to lower costs for families and small businesses.

The Credit Crisis & Silent Suffering (12:06 – 15:59)

• Ben raises the under-discussed issue of falling credit scores:

  “It’s a real kind of silent situation that no one really wants to talk about, but it’s really holding so many people back.” (12:12)

• Cooper:
  • Links dropping credit scores to people struggling with debt, resorting to retirement account withdrawals, not being able to save — “massive problem where inflation, the cost of living, is simply outpacing people’s paychecks right now.” (13:24)

    “If you can't recognize a problem, then how are you going to fix it?” (14:10)

  • Shares stories of families putting groceries back at the store due to inflated costs:

    “…painful to watch a family remove things from a grocery basket cart and put it back on the shelf because they can't afford it. That's wrong on multiple levels.” (14:51)

• Argues that Whatley and MAGA Republicans are out-of-touch and focused only on supporting Trump.

The Stakes in 2026 & Cooper’s Closing Appeal (15:59 – 17:32)

• Cooper to MeidasTouch audience:

  “Democrats often have been ahead, ahead, ahead until they’re not. When I first ran for governor in 2016...ended up winning by about 10,000 votes out of 5 million. We know things break toward Republicans toward the end in North Carolina. We just can't lose this race...” (16:37)

  • Calls for volunteers and support via roycooper.com, emphasizing the razor-thin margins that have decided recent statewide races.
  • Implies that flipping the seat is essential to Senate control and tangible improvements for North Carolinians.

Hope for Democracy (17:02 – 17:32)

• Ben commends Cooper for offering hope and decency:

  “This is not what I grew up with. This is not why I went to law school. And then I get to talk to people like you, and I'm like, all right, you give me hope.” (17:29)

• Cooper:

  “Thanks, Ben. See you again soon, I hope.” (17:32)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On leadership:

  “We need more people in politics who want to do something rather than people in politics who want to be something and that everything they do is calculated toward gaining or maintaining their power.”
  (Roy Cooper, 07:29)

• On the struggles facing North Carolinians:

  “Too many people now just, just have too much month at the end of the money.”
  (Roy Cooper, 11:20)

• On the stakes of the race:

  “We can't take back the US Senate unless we flip North Carolina. That's why I got into this race.”
  (Roy Cooper, 15:10)

• On hope in dark times:

  “Then I get to talk to people like you, and I'm like, all right, you give me hope.”
  (Ben, 17:29)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:26: Trump’s approval collapse and North Carolina races overview
• 02:29: Michael Watley’s campaign messaging and awkward local sports episode
• 04:30: Interview with Roy Cooper begins; reflections on true leadership
• 05:40: Cooper discusses practical governing, medical debt relief, Medicaid expansion
• 08:51: The Senate race, cost-of-living stories from the Make Stuff Cost Less tour
• 12:06: Discussion on dropping credit scores and economic hardship
• 15:59: Cooper's closing rally to listeners and importance of 2026 race
• 17:29: Closing moments — hope for democracy

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Conclusion

This episode delivers a substantive, accessible portrait of why North Carolina matters in 2026 — both as a bellwether for national politics and as a state grappling with real economic anxieties. The MeidasTouch team and Roy Cooper expose the stark contrasts between his lived, results-oriented leadership and his opponent’s MAGA allegiance. At its core, the episode is a case study in public service versus political performance—and a clarion call for grassroots engagement ahead of a critical election.

Learn more or volunteer: roycooper.com
Listen to more at the MeidasTouch Network.

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Transcript

[Kiana]

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[Ron Filipkowski]

Start your free [e-mail] this is Donald Trump's nightmare. He is collapsing in the state of North Carolina. His current approval in North Carolina, net negative 22. And it continues to plummet. And with his plummeting approval, Donald Trump may cost the MAGA Republicans control over the United States Senate. When you zoom in on the polling data for the Senate race, now an open seat in North Carolina, the Democratic candidate for former North Carolina governor Roy Cooper is pulling ahead by massive amounts over the MAGA Republican candidate, Michael Watley. Watley used to be the head of the RNC. He is Mr. Maga, Mr. Donald Trump bootlicker. All of the polls have Roy Cooper up big, up anywhere from 1112. Some polls have him up even more right now. And the Trump regime is absolutely panicking. Donald Trump had previously made posts that Watley, based on all of his help of Donald Trump and MAGA, was going to bring down healthcare prices, 800% prescription drug prices. Everything was gonna be solved. But Watley, the Trump bootlicker, has only worked with Donald Trump to cause more pain in the great state of North Carolina. Now, Watley's been running on one thing. Basically, I'm attached to the hip with Donald Trump and North Carolina. You need somebody who just rubber stuck stamps what Donald Trump does. North Carolina. If you want the Trump puppet, vote Watley. That's what Watley's out there saying. Here's what Watley literally said that I think he was just leaving the spring gala and, and all of the galas over at Mar a Lago where he and all the right wing oligarchs mock all of the Americans who are suffering right now. Here's what he said on state regime media here. Let's play this clip right now.

[Michael Watley]

What North Carolina wants is an ally for president, for President Trump. And they also want a strong conservative voice in the Senate. I am going to be that guy right now. President Trump is really truly setting the direction that North Carolina wants to go in. Roy Cooper is going to be a very flawed candidate. He's a left wing candidate. He is right out of the way.

[Roy Cooper]

It's only going to be an expensive, hotly contested race. I just have two.

[Ron Filipkowski]

And by the way, Whatley doesn't even know anything about the state that he's running in or he doesn't know any. Like, just watch how embarrassing this was. As Carolina forward says, this is worse than someone asked when Trump was asked to name his favorite Bible verse.

[Ben]

Here, let's play this clip.

[Michael Watley]

I saw you post about the Carolina Hurricanes. Yep. Who are your three favorite Hurricanes players? You know, I think we like them all. Don't have a favorite player. Look, I think that that's a team that's loaded. They're playing offense really well. I'm excited about how. And what about the graphic that was created yesterday? How'd that come about? Just a graphic that we created.

[Wayfair Announcer]

You use AI for the graphic. Was that intentional? And can you talk about that as far as like the Canes and you know, using their name or whatever, if

[Roy Cooper]

there's any kind of issue there?

[Michael Watley]

Well, look, I, I want to see the Carolina Hurricanes win. I think it's absolutely great for the state and I think it's fun that they're in the Stanley Cup Finals and, and you know, we did use AI Last chance for you name. Thanks, guys. No, Jacob Slavin. I think that this is a guy who has an outspoken faith in God. He works hard every single day and kind of represents the best of the sport. Did anyone tell you say, Jacob Slavin? No, we're good. Okay.

[Ron Filipkowski]

I want to bring in now the former Democratic governor of the great state of North Carolina who is running for that Senate seat in North Carolina state now where Donald Trump's Approval is net negative 22. Let's bring in the interview I just did with former North Carolina Democratic governor and now the candidate for that Senate

[Ben]

seat, Roy Cooper, former governor of North Carolina. Great to have you back on gov. Want to talk about the Senate race, how important it is nationally, how important it is in North Carolina. I want to begin, though, by just reflecting on the very concept of leadership. You know, when I think about your tenure as governor of North Carolina, one of the things that I always think about is nobody necessarily thought, ah, that was that Democratic governor that, that the guy who owned the Republicans, you know, the way, the way right now. I think this MAGA Republican movement likes to frame things and how politics is so kind of gamified right now. I was just, you know, it was refreshing for me to see at the opening of the Obama presidential library, you know, different presidents different policies, plans, just standing up there. And whether I agreed or disagreed, they represented a continuity and a. A peaceful transition of power and dignified leadership that I just feel is missing the very concept of leading right now with compassion, empathy, thought, expertise. I just wanted to pick your brain on that before we really get into the race.

[Roy Cooper]

You know, people want government to work, Ben. A lot of people don't pay attention to the politics of it. They just want their kids to go to good schools, they want health care, they want a solid retirement, they want a good paying job. They want safe communities. And more than ever, we need leaders who are ready to step up and do the job. I was a Democratic governor in North Carolina for eight years. I was limited to two terms. I had a Republican legislature for every single moment that I was governor. And yeah, I vetoed a record number of bills because they passed a lot of bad laws. But at the same time, I found ways to work with them. I found ways to use my executive authority to help people. We got Medicaid expanded. Most Southern states couldn't do that, but we did it. 725,000 people now have more health insurance. I got a Republican legislature to pass a law to get us to carbon zero in our power sector. By 2050, we were able to get all 99 of our hospitals to sign up for the largest medical debt relief program in the country. People who have civil judgments against them because they didn't have health care insurance and you can't get a credit card, you can't buy a house, sometimes you can't even qualify for rent. So far, we've wiped away six and a half billion dollars in medical debt for more than two and a half million North Carolinians. I had Mary come up to me and show me the letter. She'd been writing a check for $80 a month. That was a big deal for her on a fixed income. She showed me how that 54,000 had been wiped away. It changed her life. We need more people in politics who want to do something rather than people in politics who want to be something and that everything they do is calculated toward gaining or maintaining their power. I think people are sick of it. It is time to get competent, decent people back into government who respect our Constitution, who believe in checks and balances in our democracy. I believe our best days are ahead of us. It's hard to believe right now with the destruction we've seen and with the people in charge, like my opponent, Michael Whatley, who was chair of the RNC and who continues to support these horrible policies like the slush fund that wants to pay out money to these January 6th rioters and insurrectionists who assaulted police officers. We don't need those kinds of leaders. And I appreciate coming on your show because this is going to be a tight race. We haven't elected a Democrat in North Carolina since 2008. Go to roycooper.com to help us out. We've got to flip this seat from red to blue to begin those changes of getting people in government who want to actually do something to help people.

[Ben]

Your opponent in this race, Michael Watley, former RNC chair, a real architect of Project 2025, an architect of all of the pain that people are feeling across the country and very particularly as well in North Carolina. You've got the make stuff, cost less tour where you're going, speaking with the people of North Carolina. And talk to us about what people are telling you there, whether it's as it relates to child care, grocery credit scores. What are people experiencing because this isn't a Democrat, Republican, independent thing. What your opponent, Michael Watley and Donald Trump did while they're talking about triumphal arches and reflecting pools that now are like sludgy green algae riddle, you know, and that when they're out there, triumphal arches, they're screwing over the people. Also talk to us about.

[Roy Cooper]

Yeah, yeah. Michael Whatley was a big oil and utility company lobbyist for years and pushed tax breaks for his buddy millionaires. And he owns individual stocks and big oil companies and utilities, utility companies. And he's making a personal killing on all of this and has pushed all of these policies. But then I will run into Cynthia and Rocky Mount, who just now is having to decide whether it's worth paying childcare. She needs a second income for her family, but she just may not be able to work anymore because she can't afford the childcare, seeing $60 a month extra in utility bills from Stephanie, who's in Charlotte, who's telling me that she's even turning her thermostat up high into the 70s, higher than it ever is, than it's ever been. And then she's still getting $60 a month more in insurance. I talked to Gerard, who's graduated from college, and it's excited. And then he looks at what he's going to get paid and how much rent he's going to have to pay the housing costs or through the roof. We've had hundreds of thousands of people to lose health care in North Carolina because Michael Whiteley encouraged and this administration pushed the One big, beautiful bill that took those health care subsidies away and now they're struggling to get health care. And remember, on Medicaid expansion, Republican Thom Tillis, who is there now, stood up on the floor and said, I can't vote for this one big beautiful bill because I don't know what I'd tell the people of North Carolina. He knew that many people were going to lose their health insurance. And remember, the Medicaid cuts will come after the election. And we know that a lot of people in North Carolina are going to be facing that. Too many people now just, just have too much month at the end of the money. I've got a plan to make stuff cost less. @roycooper.com you can go and review our specific policy proposals, starting with things like taking back the constitutional authority on trade and tariffs and getting rid of these chaotic tariffs that are sending costs through the roof for consumers and small businesses.

[Ben]

I think another issue too, that I'm hearing, and I'd love to get your thought about it, it's not getting nearly enough attention. It's just how significantly people's credit scores are dropping. I know it's not a topic that people often talk about. I just remember when I got out of college and law school, I never had a credit card. And I realized very quick, do anything because I didn't have any credit. And so, you know, and I learned very quickly, you know, wait a minute, you know, I have this law job, but I can't get an apartment. I can't get places, you know, without having credit. And one of the things that I feel like with credit card delinquencies and everything, and that it's a real kind of silent situation that no one really wants to talk about, but it's really holding so many people back. And right now in North Carolina and across the country, people are getting hit because they're tapping into more and more credit card date. They're late on their payments. And this thing's just growing and growing and growing and growing. And in typical kind of Trump fashion, what he wants to do, dump this on the next guy or gal and have them kind of deal with it. But this problem is growing right now day by day.

[Roy Cooper]

Well, it just shows you that it's not just anecdotal people telling you these stories. When you see credit scores going down, you know, people are having a hard time affording their bills right now. And not only do we see that empirical data, we also see data from Vanguard and Fidelity who are telling us that people are not Saving as much. They're having to dip into their saving account, and then they're even having to dip into their retirement account just simply to make ends meet. That tells us we have a massive problem where inflation, the cost of living, is simply outpacing people's paychecks right now. And we have to do something about that. You know, first you need someone who cares about it. I mean, this administration, along with my opponent, Michael Whatley. I'll tell you, the bad thing for me about Michael Whatley is that he will do and say whatever this president tells him to do and say. And that is going to bring down hundreds of millions of dollars on my head. We've already seen two Republican groups say that they're going to place almost $100 million in ads against me in this race. The good thing for me is that Michael Whiteley will do and say whatever this president tells him to do and say. Therefore, he is saying things like, prices are down. We've defeated inflation, the economy's great. Everything is fine. And we have seen that from this administration that if you can't recognize a problem, then how are you going to fix it? And the people in North Carolina know it's a problem because they're having to face it every day. A story I heard the other day, and I've heard this more than once. People going to the grocery store, they go every week, they get the same thing for their family. That cash treasure is just going up and up. And a guy was telling me about a family ahead of them went through and the total came up, and they said, that can't be right. And the clerk said, yeah, I'm afraid it's right. And it's painful to watch a family remove things from a grocery basket cart and put it back on the shelf because they can't afford it. That's wrong on multiple levels. And if you don't have leaders in Washington who care about that, then that's a problem. And that's why people need to step up right now, get involved, make sure we take back the Senate and the House. We can't take back the US Senate unless we flip North Carolina. That's why I got into this race. I had not planned to go to Washington, but I knew I had the best chance to win this race. I knew that we have a hard time electing Democrats to the U.S. senate in North Carolina. Time to get it done.

[Ben]

Before we go, Governor Cooper, anything else you want to say to our 7 million subscribers out there?

[Roy Cooper]

So I appreciate the work that you do Ben, shining a light on the chaos in Washington. I know that your listeners and your viewers want to step up right now. You can go to roycooper.com find out what we're doing. Not only help us financially, but also you can sign up to volunteer. There are things you can do remotely for our campaign. This is going to be a tight one. Yeah, we're a little bit ahead in most of the polls right now. Some have it a lot closer. But in North Carolina, Democrats often have been ahead, ahead, ahead until they're not. When I first ran for governor in 2016 against the Republican incumbent, I was pretty far ahead. Ended up winning by about 10,000 votes out of 5 million. We know things break toward Republicans toward the end in North Carolina. We just can't lose this race. I need your help out there, guys. And thank you, Ben, again, for having me on your show.

[Ben]

Coming to Roy Cooper, thanks for all you've done. Thanks for devoting your life to actual public service. You know, when I do these interviews, sometimes I wake up in the morning, you know, and you see all these headlines and I'm reporting on. I'm in the thick of it, you know, and you just see the behavior. You see the character, the low character of some of these people. And I'm like, what is. This is not what I grew up with. This is not why I went to law school. And then I get to talk to people like you, and I'm like, all

[Roy Cooper]

right, you give me hope.

[Ben]

So thank you.

[Roy Cooper]

I appreciate it. Thanks, Ben. See you again soon. I hope.

[Ben]

See everybody hit subscribe as well. Thanks for watching. Want to stay plugged in? Become a subscriber to our [e-mail] you'll

[Ron Filipkowski]

get daily recaps from Ron Filipkowski ad free episodes of our podcast, and more exclusive content only [e-mail]

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[Roy Cooper]

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