JD Vance 'Goes There' on Roy Cooper As Campaign's Legal Threat Continues to Backfire

The last couple of weeks of the North Carolina Senate race have been quite interesting, with a legal threat sent by Democrat Senate nominee Roy Cooper's legal team to a statewide newspaper backfiring spectacularly down the homestretch of the campaign.

As RedState reported, attorneys from the D.C.-based Elias Law Group, founded by election-denying Democrat super-lawyer Marc Elias, sent a cease-and-desist letter to the North State Journal (NSJ) within five hours of a standard inquiry they made about the 69-year-old's health and ability to serve a full six-year Senate term. 

The law firm condescendingly wrote in part, "Let us make this exceedingly simple and crystal clear to you: Governor Cooper intends to complete his entire term, and any suggestion that he is 'experiencing a neurological issue,' or that any health condition would prevent him from completing his term, is categorically false and defamatory." They then proceeded to tell the paper they would be sued if they published "these falsehoods in its plain pursuit of online clicks and a political hatchet job."

NSJ subsequently reported on the threat, which in turn prompted more - not less - speculation about Cooper's health. Relatedly, George Washington Law School Professor Jonathan Turley poked holes in Elias' legal threat itself, saying that it appeared to be "entirely meritless" and calling it "a smash-mouth approach that only generated national coverage of the issue — working against the interests of his client."

That "national coverage" now extends to Vice President J.D. Vance, who, on a visit to Hendersonville, N.C., on Monday to promote the candidacies of NC-11 nominee Jennifer Balkcom as well as Senate nominee Michael Whatley, went there in asking questions about Cooper's age after pointing out some of the worst things Cooper did as governor:

Now, Roy Cooper, he was a terrible governor. He did all sorts of crazy things like veto the Parents Bill of Rights. He released thousands of violent criminals from jail early. And he used your taxpayer dollars to fund sex change surgeries for children. He vetoed legislation to keep boys out of girls' sports - completely unhinged stuff, and Roy Cooper did it. But I hope my saying so doesn't bother Roy, because I heard that he's actually a very sensitive guy.

He's literally sending lawyers after anyone who asks about his age. Is that right, Michael? Which raises a good question: what does Roy Cooper have to hide? Or is he just worried that he'll look even older than he is already next to the young communists of the Democrat Party he'll be voting with if he goes to Washington?

Watch:

Why is Roy Cooper so sensitive about questions regarding his age? 🤔 VP @JDVance: "What does Roy Cooper have to hide? Or is he just worried that he'll look even older than he is already next to the young communists of the Democrat Party?" https://t.co/ophnEMWINO

— Team Trump (Text TRUMP to 88022) (@TeamTrump) October 19, 2026

Vance also tore into Cooper for pretending he's a moderate on the campaign trail when everyone here in N.C. knows differently:

It's time for us to say once and for all that we're not going to put up for the politicians who tell you they're moderates on the campaign trail, but then they immediately get to Washington, D.C., and they stab you in the back. They stab you in the back by defunding the police; they stab you in the back by raising your taxes; they stab you in the back by putting boys in girls' sports.

Watch:

It's time for us to say once and for all that we’re not going to put up with the politicians who tell you they are moderates on the campaign trail, just so they can turn around and stab you in the back once they get to Washington DC. North Carolina, on November 3rd say hell no to all of the crazy the Democrats have been selling and let's elect @JenBalkcom and @WhatleyNC.

— JD Vance (@JDVance) October 19, 2026

Vance also announced another $858 million in funding for continued Hurricane Helene efforts for western N.C.:

.@JDVance is 100% right - I will not shut up when it comes to fighting for Western NC! VP Vance announced the Trump Admin is sending an additional $858 MILLION to Western North Carolina for Hurricane Helene recovery. The Trump Administration has obligated $12 billion. More money than any other disaster in the history of NC. https://t.co/6ItgjZDsDa

— Michael Whatley (@WhatleyNC) October 19, 2026

President Trump is expected to be in Greenville, N.C., later in the day on Tuesday for his second campaign stop in a little over two months in the Old North State.

Editor’s Note: The 2026 Midterms will determine the fate of President Trump’s America First agenda. Republicans must maintain control of both chambers of Congress.

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