New nonprofit to look for housing solutions that ‘work for everyone'
Another voice has been added to North Carolina's vocal pool of nonprofits advocating for affordable housing.
The North Carolina Housing Table (NCHT) recently launched as a statewide housing coalition with a goal to advance 'housing solutions that work for everyone.'
According to a press release, NCHT is a collaborative effort of community leaders, environmental organizations, advocates for seniors, housing professionals, business groups and 'everyday North Carolinians on the left, right and center united around one goal: advancing housing solutions that work for everyone.'
NCHT was founded by Denzel Burnside, who serves as the group's executive director. Burnside was recently executive director of WakeUP Wake County, where he was responsible for leading community discussions and policy action on the issues of affordable housing, transit access, climate action and land use planning.
'In North Carolina, I believe everything starts with home,' Burnside said in a news release. 'Freedom and opportunity depend on where people can live, how they access jobs, and whether they can build a stable future.'
A present, however, Burnside says that objective is out of reach for a large proportion of North Carolinians. He pointed to a recent report commissioned by the NC Chamber Foundation, NC Home Builders Association and NC REALTORS — '2024 Housing Supply Gap Analysis, State of North Carolina' — which found an expected gap of 764,000 total units (322,000 rental units and 442,000 units for purchase) between 2024-2029.
'Through smart, equitable, proven policies to create more homes of all shapes and sizes, we can open real pathways to homeownership and upward mobility,' Burnside said. 'Our goal is to work diligently at the statewide level to build communities that are accessible, connected, and centered on the needs of North Carolinians.'
The NCHT will host a virtual launch event, 'Setting the Table: Why Housing Choice Matters in NC,' at 2:00 pm on April 15 as a live Zoom gathering that will also be streamed on YouTube. The event will include community voices across North Carolina to discuss housing challenges, solutions, and policy focus for 2025.
Registration is free and open to the public at NCHousingTable.org.
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Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Yahoo
NC Senate Race: Cooper leads Whatley with young, independent voters: Poll
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The first Emerson College/CBS 17 poll of the 2026 U.S. Senate race in North Carolina gives a six-point edge to former Governor Roy Cooper (D), who launched his campaign Monday. His opponent—Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley—announced his entry into the race Thursday. That came a week after sources close to Whatley confirmed his plans to run on July 24, the same day Laura Trump announced on X that she would not be running. With more than a year to go before ballots are cast, this initial poll offers an early snapshot of where Cooper and Whatley stand with voters. Emerson College Polling surveyed 1,000 North Carolinians from July 28–30. Of those respondents, 359 identified as Republicans, 311 as Democrats, and 329 as independents or other. Candidate Favorability Cooper holds a six-point favorability edge over Whatley among all 1,000 participants in the poll. One factor likely contributing to Cooper's edge is name recognition — a point highlighted by a poll question that asked voters how they view each candidate. The percentage breakdown is below. Kimball explained how Whatley's low name recognition presents 'both a challenge and an opportunity.' While only 17% view him favorably, nearly two-thirds of voters either don't know him or are unsure, polling showed. 'That leaves room for his campaign to define him before his opponent does,' Kimball added. GOP Chair Michael Whatley officially announces run for US Senate in North Carolina In contrast, Cooper enters the race with significantly higher name recognition and a more favorable public image. The gap is much wider among independent voters, who favor Cooper 47% to 28%.Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, also noted a sharp age divide:'Cooper has a 25-point edge on Whatley among voters under 50, 54% to 29%, whereas Whatley leads voters over 50 by 11 points, 52% to 41%,' he said. 'Cooper has a 25-point edge on Whatley among voters under 50, 54% to 29%, whereas Whatley leads voters over 50 by 11 points, 52% to 41%,' Kimball added. 'I love North Carolina': Former Governor Roy Cooper announces run for US Senate seat in 2026 As for retiring Senator Thom Tillis, he currently holds a 30% favorable rating and a 43% unfavorable rating. His retirement appears aligned with weak favorability: just 41% of Republican voters view him favorably, while 35% view him unfavorably. 'He's also underwater with independents, with 43% unfavorable and only 27% favorable,' Kimball noted. More on the Candidates Michael Whatley Whatley led the North Carolina Republican Party for nearly five years before being elected Republican National Committee chairman 17 months ago with Trump's backing. He's hoping to succeed GOP Sen. Thom Tillis, who announced just a month ago that he would not seek a third term after clashing with Trump and voting against the 'Big Beautiful Bill.' In a post on Truth Social last week, President Trump voiced his support for Whatley, giving him his 'complete and total endorsement' and referring to him as 'one of the most capable executives in our country.' The president also wrote, 'I have a mission for my friends in North Carolina, and that is to get Michael Whatley to run for the U.S. Senate.' On Thursday, Whatley used much of his launch speech to target Cooper, accusing him of 'offering North Carolina voters an extreme radical-left ideology — open borders, inflationary spending, and a weak America.' Roy Cooper Cooper brings a powerful record to the race: he has never lost a statewide election. His winning streak began in 1986 when he was elected to represent the 72nd district in the North Carolina House of Representatives. In 1991, he was appointed to the North Carolina Senate, a position he held for 10 years before winning six more statewide elections. Those victories earned him four terms as attorney general, from 2000 to 2016, and two terms as governor, elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2020. The day after Cooper announced his candidacy, former U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel ended his campaign and threw his full support behind Cooper. The former governor's entry brings optimism to a party aiming to take back the Senate in 2026 with a net gain of four seats — a tall order in a year when many Senate races are in states Trump won easily in 2024. National Republican campaign strategists say Cooper's entry makes North Carolina a more difficult seat for the GOP to hold, though a Democrat hasn't won a Senate race in the traditionally competitive state since 2008, making it one that will be closely watched by the nation. For full results of the Emerson College poll, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
USA Today
01-08-2025
- USA Today
What if I told you there's a Democrat who can still get the Republican vote?
Former NC Gov. Roy Cooper is already giving the national Democratic Party a masterclass in how to run a successful campaign in battleground states. After months of speculation, former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced on July 28 that he would be running for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Thom Tillis. It's only been a few days, but Cooper is already giving the national Democratic Party a masterclass in how to run a successful campaign in battleground states. Cooper, who has never lost an election, has the popularity and experience needed to flip a seat for the Democrats, who haven't won a U.S. Senate race in North Carolina since 2008. As a born and raised North Carolinian, I have seen these qualities firsthand. North Carolina has been MAGA country since 2016, when President Donald Trump first won the state. The past two U.S. Senate races were expensive and disappointing for Democrats. Within the state, partisan gerrymandering and a voter ID law make it harder for Democrats to win. While Cooper isn't the singular answer to slowing Republican dominance in the state, he is the first candidate in a long time who seems to have a fighting chance. Roy Cooper's economic track record is good for everybody North Carolina's economy, once burdened by the decline of factory and agriculture jobs, thrived under Cooper's leadership. During his two terms as governor, the state added more than 640,000 jobs from companies like Toyota, Apple and Eli Lilly. The state was also ranked America's Top State for Business by CNBC for two consecutive years based on economic investments, its workforce and the state's debt management. Opinion: Men don't like how Trump treats the economy. Democrats must cash in on that. 'For too many Americans, the middle class feels like a distant dream,' Cooper says in the video announcing his campaign. 'Meanwhile, the biggest corporations and the richest Americans have grabbed unimaginable wealth at your expense.' If his first ad is any indication, the Senate candidate seems to be running on a populist message that is likely to resonate. It's a move that Democrats have been shy to make as they crumble under the MAGA reign, but it's a move that could fare well in a state dominated by Republicans. Republicans cut Medicaid. Cooper expanded access for North Carolinians. A crowning achievement of Cooper's tenure as governor is the state's expansion of Medicaid in 2023, which brought coverage to an additional 600,000 North Carolinians. He fought for that expansion for years. Considering that Medicaid is one of the things Republicans in Congress placed on the chopping block recently, Cooper's hand in bringing access to more North Carolinians is sure to bode well for the former governor. Democrats, again, could learn from this: It's not enough to talk about social issues. Medicaid just got cut in the federal spending bill, and hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians will likely lose coverage, including those who benefited from Medicaid expansion. This is an issue they can win on, and one that would show they care about what everyday Americans are facing. The simplest reason? Roy Cooper's actually likable. Cooper's biggest draw, however, may be how deeply his roots are in the state. He grew up in Nash County and attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was a lawyer and Sunday School teacher in Rocky Mount before entering politics. He spent several Halloweens dressed up as Sheriff Andy Taylor from 'The Andy Griffith Show." He's taken other Democrats to Cook Out for fast foods on the campaign trail. He's such a North Carolinian, in fact, that I wondered if he'd ever take the plunge into national politics. 'I never really wanted to go to Washington,' Cooper says in his announcement video. 'I just wanted to serve the people of North Carolina right here, where I've lived all my life. But these are not ordinary times.' Opinion: Tillis' departure signifies troubling shift. Can any Republican stand up to Trump? It's a reminder to the national Democratic Party that a quality candidate is also a candidate who loves where they're from. A candidate with deep roots in the community is a candidate who can win elections. There's still merit to the idea that a good candidate is someone you can imagine drinking a beer on the front porch with, especially in the South. Cooper is clearly a promising candidate who could break through the Republican stronghold in a state that's gone for Trump three elections in a row. But he'll face an uphill battle in the form of Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley, who was selected by Trump. Republicans are already on the attack, accusing the former governor of "dragging North Carolina left," criticizing his vetoes and complaining that he competently handled the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, this is the same governor who got more votes than Trump in the 2020 election – his odds are better than one might expect for a purple state. Cooper's finances are already showing the promise of his Senate campaign, as he raised $3.4 million in the first 24 hours, setting a fundraising record. If people can get behind a liberal Democrat from rural North Carolina, imagine what would happen if there were candidates of this caliber in all battleground states. Follow USA TODAY columnist Sara Pequeño on X, formerly Twitter: @sara__pequeno
31-07-2025
RNC Chair Michael Whatley launches North Carolina Senate bid
Michael Whatley, the chair of the Republican National Committee, formally launched his bid to be North Carolina's next senator Thursday afternoon. "I know that North Carolina wants to see our economy do better, more jobs created, safer communities and a stronger military. And so do I. Which is why I am very proud today to announce, that with the complete and total endorsement of President Donald Trump, I am running to be the next senator from the great state of North Carolina," Whatley said. Whatley's announcement sets the scene for what's bound to be an expensive and buzzy race to fill the seat left vacant by retiring Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, as the state's former Democratic governor, Roy Cooper, kicked off his candidacy earlier this week. In his Thursday speech, Whatley attempted to closely link former President Joe Biden to Cooper, criticizing Cooper on several issues: his response to Hurricane Helene, for adopting "radical left" ideology, and being weak on the economy. Whatley also slammed Cooper for standing by Biden after his infamous presidential debate performance, but then quickly endorsing Harris after Biden stepped off the ticket. Whatley continued his pitch as the anti-Cooper. "Roy Cooper has shown us exactly what his vision for America is, higher taxes, dangerous streets, radical gender ideology and a weaker America. I believe in a better North Carolina and a stronger America, more money in your pocket, safe communities, common sense and a strong country, a better state where you can buy a home, start a family, see your kids do better than you have right here in the Old North State." In response to Whatley's run, Cooper's campaign manager Jeff Allen slammed Whatley as a lobbyist and Washington insider. "North Carolinians don't need a lobbyist as their Senator, and voters will have a clear choice between Whatley's long career as a Beltway insider against Roy Cooper's record of putting partisanship aside to get results for North Carolina," Allen said in a statement. Though Cooper and Whatley may have challengers as the primary progresses, they are seen as the front-runners. Their candidacies have been rubber-stamped by their party's respective top brass with President Donald Trump asking Whatley to run, according to sources familiar with the discussion. Former Democratic Rep. Wiley Nickel, who had launched a bid in April, dropped out and endorsed Cooper after the former governor formalized his run. Whatley said Trump needs a strong ally in Congress, and that voters can be sure he can be that bridge to the White House if elected. "President Trump deserves an ally, and North Carolina deserves a strong conservative voice in the Senate, I will be that voice," said Whatley. A North Carolina native, Whatley led the state's Republican Party before he was selected by Trump to lead the RNC in 2024 and worked alongside Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law, who was the co-chair. Lara Trump was floated as a potential candidate, but eventually ruled out the run. Trump is hopeful that Whatley has the knowledge of the state, the national profile and the network of relationships to run a strong campaign, a White House official told ABC News. Republicans also say they hope Whatley's connections with donors will be an advantage for him in what will likely be one of the most expensive races in next year's elections. On Capitol Hill Tuesday, Tillis said he has been advising Whatley on what to expect, and said Cooper was a formidable opponent. "Michael's just got to be prepared for criticism he's going to get that is unfounded, the same criticism I would have gotten," Tillis said. In his initial social media post endorsing Whatley, Trump also endorsed RNC treasurer and Florida state Senator Joe Gruters to become the new chair of the RNC.
