ICYMI: Gov. Roy Cooper Receives Record Approval Rating As His Steady Leadership Calms Fears During COVID-19 Outbreak

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Receiving Praise From Across The State, Cooper’s Approval Rating Rises To All-Time High

Gov. Roy Cooper has repeatedly taken decisive action to protect North Carolina from the threat of COVID-19. In the midst of this crisis, he has gone to great lengths to provide necessary resources from increasing access to child care and elder care to petitioning the federal government to make food and health care programs more accessible to North Carolinians.

In a new Civitas Institute poll taken between March 15-17, 62% of respondents approved of the job Gov. Cooper has been doing, reflecting his steady leadership during the crisis. 94% of respondents noted they had been following the coronavirus news closely. Similarly, a recent PPP poll showed Cooper with a rising approval rating, suggesting “voters are giving him good marks for the state’s handling of the coronavirus”.

Gov. Cooper has received praise from experts and Editorial Boards across the state for his handling of the crisis:

  • Editorial written by six former North Carolina State Health Directors: “We have been fortunate in our state to have the leadership of Gov. Roy Cooper, DHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen, and our State Health Director Dr. Betsey Tilson who have acted decisively to help protect our citizens during these challenging times.”

  • News & Observer Editorial: “Gov. Roy Cooper made the right call Tuesday by declaring a state of emergency in North Carolina in order to stem the spread of COVID-19… To his credit, Gov. Cooper identified [Medicaid expansion] as an urgent situation long before Covid-19 arrived.

  • The Charlotte Observer Editorial Board: “North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has been both thoughtful and aggressive in taking steps to slow the COVID-19 virus.”

Meanwhile, Republican gubernatorial nominee Dan Forest has been roundly criticized for questioning Gov. Cooper’s decision to take swift action against COVID-19 and then hastily back-tracking when he realized public opinion was against him. The Charlotte Observer had just one word for him: Hush.