FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 27, 2026
February 27, 2026
Contact:
Tim Kauffman
202-374-6491
[email protected]
Largest Federal Employee Union Endorses Roy Cooper for Election to the U.S. Senate
Categories:
Senate, Congress, Election 2026
AFGE says Cooper values public service and the dignity of workers
WASHINGTON –– The American Federation of Government Employees today announced its endorsement of Roy Cooper for election to the U.S. Senate representing North Carolina in the 2026 elections. The statewide primary is March 3, and the general election is Nov. 3.
A native of Nash County, N.C., Cooper’s commitment to public service and good government began as a high school senior when he was selected to represent the county on the statewide Youth Legislative Assembly. While practicing law in Rocky Mount, Cooper unseated a 12-term incumbent and was elected to the North Carolina House of Representatives in 1985. He was elected state attorney general in 2000 and served in that role until being elected North Carolina’s 75th governor in 2016.
During his two terms as governor, Cooper worked with legislators and business leaders to grow the economy, strengthen public education, expand access to affordable health care, and create good-paying jobs across the state.
“AFGE District 4 is proud to endorse Roy Cooper for the U.S. Senate. Throughout his time as governor, Roy Cooper demonstrated steady leadership, bipartisan problem-solving, and a commitment to growing good-paying jobs while respecting the dignity of workers,” AFGE District 4 National Vice President Christine Surrette said.
Cooper helped bring hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs to communities across the state during his time as governor while working on a bipartisan basis to strengthen workplace protections. He is running for the U.S. Senate to lower costs for working families and serve as an independent voice for all North Carolinians.
“Federal employees and working families need a leader who understands public service and is committed to fairness, stability, and opportunity — and Roy Cooper has shown that leadership time and again,” Surrette said.
Nearly 52,000 federal employees live in North Carolina – caring for veterans, supporting the military, and getting Social Security recipients their benefits accurately and on time.
AFGE is the largest federal employee union in the country, representing more than 820,000 federal and D.C. government workers in all functions of government. AFGE represents nearly 48,000 federal employees in District 4, which includes Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
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