After miserable stints as North Carolina's attorney general and then as the state's governor, Roy Cooper is trying to do what all Democrats like to do: fail upwards.
Call it the Kamala Harris road to career progression.
Cooper is now running for Senate in North Carolina, and it is going to be a tight race against former RNC chair Michael Whatley. It would be a big flip for the Democrats if they could win this seat currently held by retiring RINO Thom Tillis.
One of Whatley's big advantages, however, is that Cooper, like every other Democrat in America, is completely devoid of self-awareness. Yesterday on X, he released what might be one of the most tone-deaf campaign ads we've seen in recent memory. Watch:
There's nothing political about keeping your family safe. pic.twitter.com/LC6avxluF3
— Roy Cooper (@RoyCooperNC) June 23, 2026
There may be nothing political about keeping your family safe, but for Democrats, there sure as heck is something political about letting criminals run rampant across your state.
X immediately blistered Cooper, reminding him of how much he has failed -- intentionally -- in keeping North Carolinian families safe.
You are a liar and a lunatic.
— Republicans (@Republicans) June 23, 2026
You released murderers onto our streets.
You failed to keep North Carolinians safe. https://t.co/zCK7ds9FpU pic.twitter.com/n74MkFOQEs
https://t.co/0NFchbbUgb pic.twitter.com/hEYqOETAio
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) June 23, 2026
Nothing says 'keeping families safe' like emptying the prisons and freeing murderers, rapists, and other violent offenders to commit more crime.
And then there is one murder that alone should shame Cooper into withdrawal from the race.
Tell that to the family of Iryna Zarutska, Roy. https://t.co/ug6WkxzCUV
— Will Chamberlain (@willchamberlain) June 23, 2026
Remember that, just a couple of months ago, Democrats in North Carolina, who had released Zarutska's killer, Decarlos Brown, Jr., FOURTEEN TIMES until he bragged that he 'got that white girl', found him incompetent to stand trial.
Then why is Iryna Zarutska not alive?
— Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) June 23, 2026
Why was her killer released from prison MULTIPLE TIMES on cashless bail to murder her?
Why is it that EVERY DAY in North Carolina a violent repeat offender murders, rapes, or assaults someone?
Please explain why you didn't do anything. pic.twitter.com/Tv8mLFF9C2
That deafening sound you hear right now is all of the crickets in Cooper's campaign headquarters.
Yeah you’re real great with public safety. Oh wait a minute, you’re the a*****e whose policies caused repeat violent offender DeCarlos Brown to be released from prison and then he proceeded to murder Iryna Zarutska. pic.twitter.com/dnP2vTzlgE
— Greg Ferguson 🇺🇸 (@gferguson52) June 23, 2026
Senate Republicans responded with a devastating (and accurate) campaign video:
— Senate Republicans (@NRSC) June 23, 2026
'Catch and release' is precisely why Zarutska is dead, murdered in cold blood by a man who should have never seen sunlight except from a prison cell.
"Kept them there." This isn't going away. EVER. pic.twitter.com/AFyT0NOtoO
— Voyd (@VoydBrendle) June 23, 2026
Roy Cooper: Why did you release Iryna Zarutska's killer? pic.twitter.com/Ra0Z9Oq1qV
— Pro-freedom memer (@LibertatemRR) June 23, 2026
While Zarutska's murder is the most well-known across the country, it is certainly not the only example of Cooper's failure to keep families safe.
Arthur L. Wilson was convicted of First-Degree Rape in 1982
— Cooper Released Him (@CooperReleased) June 23, 2026
Gov. Roy Cooper released him early, on June 28, 2021
After his early release, Wilson was convicted of Driving While Impaired (Level 4)
Source: @CooperReleased pic.twitter.com/imoARwrAH1
Hahahaha. I cannot believe you’re using this line. pic.twitter.com/wkIPoYtOlE
— K W Hope (@newdaycomin1) June 24, 2026
Sadly, the X account @CooperReleasedHim has many more of these examples.
Four thousand, three hundred, and twenty-four more of them, to be precise.
LIAR! LIAR! PANTS ON FIRE!
— Cooper Released Him (@CooperReleased) June 24, 2026
As governor, Roy Cooper released over 4,234 criminals from state custody including rapists, murderers, and child sex predators
Over 50% of those criminals have since reoffended, such as Calvin Locklear who murdered a Fayetteville father less than… https://t.co/uDay5FURNF pic.twitter.com/VeA91BzFAb
... less than three weeks after his early release by Roy Cooper.
'Keeping families terrified' might be a more accurate campaign slogan for Cooper.
Maybe democrats could stop letting every violent POS out of jail? Is that too much to ask?
— EducatëdHillbilly™ (@RobProvince) June 23, 2026
Apparently, it is.
Roy, dude … seriously?
— Spare Me Your Selective Outrage! (@SomewhatHopeful) June 23, 2026
Delete this and save yourself from further embarrassment.
Is this a joke? https://t.co/KS2HHLFRcn pic.twitter.com/pMIXooO9L5
— Emma Hall (@EmmaHallK) June 23, 2026
We wish it were.
But it is today's Democrat Party.
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Editor’s Note: The American people overwhelmingly support President Trump’s law and order agenda.
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