Roy Cooper raises $3.4M in first 24 hours of Senate run
Cooper's campaign said it raised $2.6 million for his Senate campaign plus an additional $900,000 into the Democratic Party. Ninety-five percent of the individual donations that came into the campaign in the first 24 hours were $100 or less, according to the campaign.
The former governor's campaign called the haul 'a testament' and Cooper's 'strong and deep support across North Carolina.'
'I have thought on it and prayed about it, and I have decided: I want to serve as your next United States senator, because, even now, I still believe our best days are ahead,' Cooper said in his announcement.
Cooper jumped into the race for North Carolina's open seat on Monday in what has been called a recruitment win for Democrats. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-S.C.) announced last month that he would not seek another term for office, opening the seat.
The field on the Democratic side of the aisle has cleared for Cooper, with former Rep. Wiley Nickel (D-N.C.) dropping his bid on Tuesday.
'It was an honor to work alongside Gov. Cooper in the state Senate and in Congress,' Nickel said in a statement. 'I've seen firsthand his steady, bipartisan leadership. He listens, he shows up, and he gets things done.'
A source familiar told The Hill that Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley is set to launch a bid for the seat. The source said that Trump has given his blessing for Whatley to run for the seat after he daughter-in-law Lara Trump decided against a run for the seat.
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