Former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper’s Senate campaign spent over $250,000 on private security, according to federal records reviewed by Fox News Digital. This information has provided Republicans with a new angle of attack, as they accuse Cooper of supporting policies that compromise safety in North Carolina.
The Federal Election Commission records reveal Cooper’s campaign allocated $277,312.28 to security-related expenses in the 2026 election cycle. The payments went to two vendors: Foresight Solutions, which provides security assessments and workplace violence prevention, and Frontpoint, a home-security system provider.
This expenditure coincides with GOP criticisms of Cooper’s record on policing and criminal justice. Republicans have highlighted issues such as his cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and COVID-19-related inmate releases. They also referenced the killing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, attributing it to Cooper’s perceived lenient criminal justice stance.
Mark Bednar, a Republican strategist, criticized Cooper’s security spending, emphasizing the contrast between his personal security measures and his political record. “The issue isn’t personal safety for politicians but their perceived lack of concern for community safety policies,” Bednar stated.
Under Cooper’s governorship, thousands of inmates were released early, drawing further criticism from Republicans. However, Cooper’s campaign has defended his record, pointing out his efforts to strengthen public safety during his tenure. They counterattacked by criticizing Michael Whatley, Cooper’s Republican opponent, for his actions within the North Carolina Republican Party and for pretrial release decisions during the pandemic.
Cooper’s team highlighted his 16 years as North Carolina attorney general, mentioning his policies on tightening bail laws and his work to support law enforcement financially. They also pointed to past GOP criticisms of Cooper’s handling of COVID-19 in prisons as distortions of his record.
The political strife between Cooper and Whatley underscores the heightened tensions in this election cycle. Both sides are leveraging accusations and defenses as they vie for voter support.
Alec Schemmel, a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, contributed reporting from the Washington D.C.-Baltimore area. He is originally from Charlotte, North Carolina.
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