Roy Cooper, the Democratic former governor of North Carolina, is planning to announce a run for Senate as early as next week, giving Democrats a significant boost in one of the key races of 2026, according to two people briefed on the decision.
Mr. Cooper, as a popular former governor, has been a top Democratic Party recruit even before the incumbent Republican, Senator Thom Tillis, announced last month that he would retire at the end of his term.
Mr. Cooper had appeared inclined to run in recent weeks, and his plans to announce were first reported by Axios.
