On The Campaign Trail, Cooper Runs Away From His Record Of Locking Down Small Businesses During Pandemic

On the campaign trail, former Governor Roy Cooper, the Democrats’ nominee for the North Carolina Senate race, continues to attack “DC Republicans” for making it harder to run a small business. While the talking point may sound in good in a focus group, Cooper has a long record of crushing North Carolina small businesses from Murphy to Manteo.  

“It’s rich for Roy Cooper to pretend he cares about small businesses after he spent months locking them down. No one is fighting harder for North Carolina’s small businesses than President Trump and Michael Whatley, while Cooper’s legacy is shutting them down,” said RNC Spokeswoman Emma Hall.  

For example, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Cooper unilaterally led one of the most restrictive lockdowns, crushing thousands of small businesses. North Carolina ranked among the third most restrictive lockdowns in the country. Cooper vetoed bills to reopen bars at 50% capacity, reopen gyms, reopen amusement parks and bowling alleys, and legislation requiring the Council of State approval to unilaterally keep the state shut down.  During this time, the Republican Senate Candidate, Michael Whatley, used his Chairmanship at the North Carolina Republican Party, to call out Cooper’s anti-small business policies.  

“As governor, Roy Cooper vetoed tax relief that would help small businesses and working families. Even worse, he shuttered small business across the state with his draconian COVID mandates that shut down job creators and schools across the state,” said Whatley Campaign Spokesman DJ Griffin. 

The NC Restaurant & Lodging Association warned that 65% of restaurants would not survive a 60-day shutdown. Cooper kept restrictions in place far longer, while only 35% of applicants successfully received PPP relief. Eventually, state courts ruled against Cooper’s extreme lockdown mandates.  

Additionally, Cooper is attacking the Working Families Tax Cuts, calling it “shameful,” despite the historic legislation delivering over $7,000 tax cuts to roughly 12 million small business owners, plus no taxes on tips or overtime for workers.