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Chris Cooper

@chriscooperwcu.bsky.social
4.5K followers 1.5K following 1.6K posts

Professor of Political Science & Public Affairs at Western Carolina University. American politics, state politics, North Carolina politics, southern politics, elections. Recent book: Anatomy of a Purple State (UNC Press 2024). www.chriscooperwcu.com

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Reposted by Chris Cooper
Michael Bitzer @bowtiepolitics.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
No longer a "pause" "The top super PAC for Senate GOP is canceling all the remaining ads it had booked in NC as of Friday, shifting away tens of millions of dollars in a move that signals that Republicans no longer see a path to winning the state this fall." #ncpol www.nytimes.com/2026/10/02/u...
nytimes.com
Republicans Pull Money From North Carolina Senate Race As Midterm Prospects Dim (Gift Article)
As the Republicans try to hold their majority, the Senate Leadership Fund is diverting resources to Kansas, which has become a growing concern for the party.
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 02/10/2026
Oct 2 #ncpol 📪 voting update: 🗳️17,659 ballots cast/ 17,446 accepted from 99 counties 🗳️20% fewer ballots accepted than same day 2022--dems down 30% 🗳️voter location I'd most like to visit; Amiens, France 🗳️graphs ⤵️
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Sept. 30 📭 voting update for #ncpol 🗳️14,862 ballots cast & 14,672 accepted from 97 counties 🗳️ total ballots trailing 2022 on the same day by 17%/Dems trailing by 29% 🗳️voter location I'd most like to visit: Valencia, Spain 🗳️usefulness of this to forecast election outcomes=0
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 30/09/2026
Between: Jamie Ager making a pitch for more barn dances: youtu.be/ZKU7RR90A-I?... & Jennifer Balkcom making a pitch for moms who shoot intruders: www.youtube.com/watch?is=VWW... I am reminded that #nc11 is more interesting than the other 434 congressional districts combined #ncpol
youtu.be
Barn Dance | Jamie Ager for Congress
YouTube video by Jamie Ager
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 27/09/2026
Somehow, Hurricane Helene Didn't Depress Voter Turnout--plus, purple phones & a #ncpol mail voting update ⤵️ chriscooperwcu.substack.com/p/somehow-hu...
chriscooperwcu.substack.com
Somehow, Hurricane Helene Didn't Depress Voter Turnout
Two years after Helene, a look at what the storm did—and didn’t do—to voting in 2024. Also: mail voting and purple phones.
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
Must-read story about Whatley's communications w/officials after Helene. #ncpol “After review, no records exist for this request,” “No responsive records were located using the search criteria provided,” Story by @coryvaillancourt.bsky.social www.citizen-times.com/story/news/l...
citizen-times.com
Records show recovery czar Whatley’s scant Helene engagement
Searches of communications found little evidence that Trump’s recovery czar ever engaged with officials on rebuilding Western North Carolina.
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
9/25 📪 voting update for #ncpol 🗳️10,500 votes cast/10,330 accepted from 93 counties 🗳️Trailing 2022 overall & for all parties 🗳️Voter location I'd most like to visit: Barcelona 🗳️ See ⬇️ for more detail 🗳️ Caveat: These data are good for understanding, lousy for forecasting
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
The Cook Political Report is moving 15 races in the D direction, including #nc11, which is moving from Lean R to toss-up. @CookPolitical is leaving #nc1 as a Lean R but note that it "could also shift into the Toss Up category."
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 23/09/2026
9/23 📭 voting update for #ncpol 🗳️8,280 ballots cast from 91 counties/8,169 accepted 🗳 All parties trailing 2022 (but some more than others) 🗳️voter location I'd most like to visit: Antarctica 🗳️see graphs ⬇️ for detail
Lemaire Channel, Anarctica. Photo from Wikicommons
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 21/09/2026
If I didn't read @ncrabbithole.com, I wouldn't know that Prince once purchased a poodle in the Asheville mall. And that would be no way to live.
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 19/09/2026
Most days working on a college campus makes me convinced that I made the right career choice. Other days it makes me daydream about the lumberjack career that could have been.
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 18/09/2026
Mail voting update for #ncpol through Sept. 17. chriscooperwcu.substack.com/p/mail-votin...
chriscooperwcu.substack.com
Mail Voting in North Carolina: What We Know Two Weeks In
A quick update on mail voting, purple phones, trust in elections, and a rock show.
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Spotted last night in Mills River #ncsen #nc11 #southernpolitics
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 17/09/2026
Enjoyed spending some time w/ Transylvania County Board of elections tonight as part of the Trusted Elections Tour. Director, Republican Chair & Democratic Board member were all kind, smart, & committed to accessible & secure elections.
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
9/16/2026 early voting update for #ncpol. 🗳️3,248 ballots cast/3,212 accepted from 80 counties 🗳️51% Dem/10%R/38%U 🗳️voter location I'd most like to visit today: Penne, Italy
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Screams in Gerber, Green, and Larimer (2008)
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
Dem super PAC The Bench is reporting a poll (conducted by Public Policy Polling) showing Jamie Ager (D) & Jennifer Balkcam (R) in a tie in #nc11 (47 D -44 R w/ a MOE of 4.3%) Would love to see more details (? wording, demo, etc.)---post em if you've got em 🙏 Saving that, i'll tap the sign #ncpol
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 16/09/2026
"Edwards’ office said Tuesday that the congressman is seeking an independent investigation as well as a public apology for the “grave and lasting damage inflicted upon Edwards’ character, dignity, reputation, family, and public service.” #ncpol #nc11 👀 ⬇️ www.bpr.org/politics-gov...
bpr.org
Rep. Chuck Edwards files complaint against House ethics panel over misconduct probe
The Republican congressman argued the panel failed to follow its own rules when it investigated allegations that he sexually harassed two young female staff members.
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 15/09/2026
Mail voting update for #ncpol (9/15/2026) 🗳️ 2503 votes cast/ 2480 accepted 🗳️ 803 accepted yesterday, the most thus far 🗳️ 74 counties have at least one vote 🗳️52% from reg. Dems/10% Reps./38% Una 🗳️Voter location I'd most like to visit: Vienna Austria
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Local/#wnc folks--the Trusted Elections Tour is coming to Sylva (Tuesday) and Brevard (Wednesday). Please join us for a great conversation. #ncpol
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
Are U.S. Senate Elections About to Get Interesting Again? chriscooperwcu.substack.com/p/are-us-sen...
chriscooperwcu.substack.com
Are U.S. Senate Elections About to Get Interesting Again?
Senate elections have become increasingly predictable. This year, the polls may be pointing toward something different.
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
9/14/26 📭 voting short update for #ncpol: 🗳️1,640 votes cast/1,627 accepted from 68 counties 🗳️53% from Dems/7% Reps/40% Una, 1 Libertarian, 1 Green 🗳️ voter location I'd most like to visit: Cupecoy Bay, Sint Maarten
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 10/09/2026
9/10/2026 early voting update: 🗳️ 841 ballots cast/832 accepted from 52 counties 🗳️53% Dems/42%Una/6% Rep/1 Green 🗳️ voter location I'd most like to visit: Porto Portugal #ncpol #election2026
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 09/09/2026
9/9/26 early voting mini update: 🗳️ 294 ballots have been accepted for the 2026 election from 42 counties 🗳️ 56% from Dems/37% from Una/6% from Reps 🗳️ voter location I'd most like to visit: Wellington, NZ 🗳️ Daily mini updates for now. Longer ones starting Sunday. #ncpol #2026election
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
This was a fun conversation.
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Thanks to @wlos-13.bsky.social for streaming the #nc11 Agricultural Forum from last week & kudos to Jennifer Balkcom & Jamie Ager for doing it. These sorts of events are getting less & less common--says something + about both candidates that they participated #ncpol www.youtube.com/watch?v=AL-U...
youtube.com
NC-11 candidate forum
YouTube video by WLOS News 13
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
Michael McDonald (@electionproject.bsky.social) has done as much as anyone to put helpful, rigorous, & reliable election data into the public domain (ex. ⬇️) You're probably already following him, but if not, that's an easy oversight to rectify.
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 05/09/2026
10 ballots have now been accepted in the 2026 election--6 Dems, 1 Reps, and 3 Unaffiliated 9 of the 10 ballots came from overseas-including 1 from Puerto Vallarta. Not a bad place to cast a vote. For the backstory on #ncpol's early election timing, see: chriscooperwcu.substack.com/p/the-2026-e...
photo from wikicommons of the beaches of Puerto Vallarta.
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 04/09/2026
The 2026 election officially kicks off today. ⤵️ #ncpol chriscooperwcu.substack.com/p/the-2026-e...
chriscooperwcu.substack.com
The 2026 Election Starts Today
North Carolina has long been known as First in Flight (now’s not the time, Ohio). It’s also first in elections.
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 03/09/2026
Let the speculation begin about what comes next for Justice Phil Berger, Jr. His current term is over in '28. So is the term of Chief Justice Newby.
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Reposted by Chris Cooper
Center for NC Politics & Public Service @ncpolitics.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
NC Survey Finds Broad Support for Upcoming Constitutional Amendments But Views Shift on Property Tax Limits When Voters Consider Tradeoffs, according to @catawbacollege.bsky.social - @today.yougov.com Survey #ncpol ncpoliticscenter.substack.com/p/nc-survey-...
ncpoliticscenter.substack.com
NC Survey Finds Broad Support for Upcoming Constitutional Amendments
But Views Shift on Property Tax Limits When Voters Consider Tradeoffs
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
Today, Chuck Edwards became the 29th member censured in U.S. House history ⬇️ Add 11 reprimands and 6 expulsions, and the House has formally disciplined 45 people a total of 46 times since 1789—less than 1/2 of 1% of all who have served in the chamber. #ncpol #nc11
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 02/09/2026
The Jackson County Board of Elections voted today to move the Cullowhee precinct election day voting site from the Cullowhee Recreation Center to the Health and Human Sciences Building at Western Carolina University. Both sites will be used in 2026 early voting. #ncpol #wncpol
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Reminder for #ncpol: Early voting plans are now set, but county boards are still in the process of approving *election day* voting sites--& for those votes, a majority vote carries the day. For example, it's on the Jackson County BOE agenda for today.
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 01/09/2026
Debate over Chuck Edwards’ ethics investigation is up now. #nc11 #ncpol
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
As reported by @marshall-cohen.bsky.social on the one letter social media site, "Laurie Buckout, the Republican nominee in #NC01, improperly traded on her own campaign, violating platform rules, and is being fined $2,500 and suspended for 3 years..." #ncpol
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
American elections are confusing, ex. 4,764: Three states (NH, RI, DE) will hold primary elections after NC begins to mail out its general election ballots (Sept. 4).
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Pretty, rainy evening in Sylva
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Reposted by Chris Cooper
David A. Graham @dgraham.bsky.social · 28/08/2026
Roy Cooper is like Mister Rogers, if Mister Rogers carried a switchblade, according to @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...
theatlantic.com
A ‘Boring’ Democrat the Party Wants to Emulate
The North Carolina Senate candidate Roy Cooper is getting a lot of national attention, but the lessons of his campaign may not be transferable.
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
The Surprisingly Old Fashioned Geography of Darline Graham's Win. 🔗 ⬇️ chriscooperwcu.substack.com/p/the-surpri...
chriscooperwcu.substack.com
The Surprisingly Old-Fashioned Geography of Darline Graham’s Win
Darline Graham rode a famous name and a Trump endorsement to a primary victory and likely a full 6 year term in the Senate. How did she do it?
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 26/08/2026
The race is called & most of the data are in from the #scsen runoff. Takeaways: - County voting patterns pretty much followed the first primary (R sq=.93) 👀 📈 ⬇️ - Regional patterns swamped urban/rural. Upstate v/ rest of state explains ~53% of the variation in county vote; population density ~20%
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
North Carolina's early voting plans are finally final. What do they show? #ncpol chriscooperwcu.substack.com/p/north-caro...
chriscooperwcu.substack.com
North Carolina’s Early Voting Plans Are Finally Final. Here’s What They Show.
The North Carolina Board of Elections met for nine and a half hours on Thursday to approve the final 20 county voting plans. What did they decide?
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
New one with Gibbs Knotts about how Darline Graham's appointment belongs to a long American tradition of family succession in politics. theconversation.com/darline-grah...
theconversation.com
Darline Graham’s inherited Senate seat revives the ‘widow’s mandate’ with a sibling twist
Though Graham’s appointment may seem unusual, political inheritance has never been fully absent from American democracy.
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Reposted by Chris Cooper
Kevin Morris @kevintmorris.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Well what have we here?
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
When I said I had been getting a lot of polls on the #nc11 race, that was not an invitation for folks in other races to poll me, too. Especially not ones in [checks notes] Ohio District 1. Someone on the Conway campaign needs to demand an explanation of their vendor’s sampling frame (& a refund)
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
Just announced at the KC airport: “Attention: if anyone came through the standard check point and left your cash, please come up and pick up your cash.” An entire airport just raised their hand and chuckled in unison. This seems like the most Ted Lasso thing imaginable.
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 22/08/2026
More #nc11 polling. This one doesn’t mention Jamie Ager’s name in the vignette about him, and has message testing questions about Balkcom’s connection to that key issue of our time…credit unions. 🤷‍♂️ #ncpol
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 21/08/2026
Pretty nifty to get this award for the best paper in the 4th volume of @jearp-elections.bsky.social @ w my friend and co-author @bowtiepolitics.bsky.social.
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Here's a brief, wonky Substack explaining the deal with the 20 non-unanimous early voting plans in #ncpol. The State Board of Elections meeting is tomorrow. chriscooperwcu.substack.com/p/what-about...
chriscooperwcu.substack.com
What About Those Non-Unanimous Early Voting Plans in North Carolina?
The NC State Board of Elections is hearing proposals on early voting plans for 20 counties on August 20. What's the nature of the disagreement?
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Chris Cooper @chriscooperwcu.bsky.social · 19/08/2026
Made a cheat sheet for folks (like me) who are trying to follow the nature of the disagreements on the 20 non-unanimous early voting plans in #ncpol (meeting tomorrow to decide). Substack w explanation coming as soon as I can get it together. www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/781qk...
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