John —

This week, the North Carolina state legislature convened a special session to implement new, gerrymandered maps in our state, and redraw the district that elected NC’s first Black representative since the Jim Crow era. All because Donald Trump told them to.

They didn’t come back to session to increase pay for our teachers, or even for our law enforcement officers, and despite Medicaid in North Carolina facing a budget shortfall, they didn’t come back to fix that, either.

Even though North Carolina is a 50/50 state, they came back to pass a map that all but locks in 11 of our 14 Congressional seats for Republicans and redraws the district that elected Eva Clayton, our first Black representative since 1901.

That’s right. These Republicans know that the Voting Rights Act very well may get gutted by the Supreme Court next year, and they’re ready to take full advantage by diluting Black voting power in NC.

Here are the facts: Donald Trump won 51% of the vote in North Carolina in 2024, but these maps will give the GOP nearly 80% of our Congressional representation. The last time NC had court-ordered fair maps, we elected 7 Republicans and 7 Democrats, but these Republicans don’t care; when Donald Trump asks them to jump, they say, “How high?”

Take my opponent, Michael Whatley, Trump’s hand-picked candidate in this race. He went on the radio the other day to say that the new map is “very important.”

Well, here’s what I think is very important: North Carolinians having a choice in who represents them. Everyone deserves that choice, it’s what our democracy was built on.

And here’s what I’ll pledge: When we win this race, I will fight to restore the full promise of the Voting Rights Act and defend every American’s right to have an equal voice in our democracy. I don’t think my opponent can say the same.

But to make that a reality, we first need to win this race, and to win this race, I have to ask for your financial support. So if you’re able, please chip in $5, $10, or even $20 to help us flip this seat blue for the first time since 2008.

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Thank you for being on this team.

Roy Cooper