At NCCADP, we don’t endorse candidates or take positions based on political party. But we do take a clear stand on justice. We celebrate when North Carolina votes for policies that move our state away from the inhumane death penalty and toward solutions that make our communities safer and more prosperous for everyone.
That’s why we are happy to welcome Roy Cooper as North Carolina’s newest senator.
You may remember that on the final day of his term as governor in 2024, Roy Cooper took the historic step of commuting fifteen death sentences to life without parole. It was the first time a North Carolina governor acknowledged systemic problems with the death penalty and took action to address them. Cooper was also the governor who created the North Carolina Task Force for Racial Equity in Criminal Justice, which didn’t accomplish enough but at least recognized the persistent problem of racism in the criminal system.
But that’s not the only reason we’re celebrating his victory. In this race, his opponent fell back on a well-worn playbook: stoking fears about violent crime and branding efforts to reduce mass incarceration or fix unfair sentencing as “soft on crime.”
In this playbook, the face of crime is always a person of color and the solution is always more extreme punishments. That campaign platform felt especially disingenuous this year, when crime rates have dropped sharply and people are struggling to pay their bills.
We are so relieved that North Carolinians saw through the false “law and order” rhetoric. Instead, they voted for a candidate who focused on helping people afford groceries, healthcare, housing, childcare, and utility bills. These are the kinds of priorities that actually build safer communities.
We all believe public safety is important. But here at NCCADP, we know the death penalty and prisons will never make us safe. We create safety by building compassion for our neighbors and working together to solve problems. We look forward to working with Sen. Cooper and all our leaders to advance public safety policies that actually work.
