Housekeeping Democracy: Our Endorsements for the March 3rd Primary
The great American unionist Walter Reuther once said, "Politics is the practical housekeeping job of American Democracy." Our movement, rooted in democracy, has shown that ordinary Americans can organize and band together to ensure the well-being and prosperity of the common good, even in the face of the unchecked power and resources of the ultrawealthy.
But our movement has also shown that real worker power can only be built when strong organizing is combined with electoral political power. Which is why, in 2026, North Carolina’s labor movement will be mobilizing to get former Governor Roy Cooper elected to the United States Senate and ensuring Associate Justice Anita Earls is re-elected to the North Carolina Supreme Court.
The NC State AFL-CIO held our candidate screening in December 2025, during which we screened for all statewide races on the ballot this cycle: U.S. Senate, NC Supreme Court, and NC Court of Appeals. Democratic candidates in every race participated in our endorsement process in hopes of earning the backing of North Carolina's working people. We also received responses from two Republican candidates for the appellate court, with one of those candidates taking the time to meet with our membership.
However, our body is disappointed in the lack of response from a majority of statewide Republican candidates. The political makeup of the North Carolina labor movement mirrors that of the state: a significant portion of our membership and those whom we represent identify politically as Republican, Independent, or Libertarian. They are hardworking taxpayers who deserve the opportunity to meet and discuss policy with members of their party who are running for public office. I encourage all Republican candidates to engage with union voters, whether through our local labor councils, individual affiliates, or other community channels.
Ultimately, our membership enthusiastically endorsed former Governor Roy Cooper for the U.S. Senate. With his track record of centering North Carolina's workers in the policies he champions, Roy Cooper has long proven that he represents the best of North Carolina's political leadership.
While Medicaid expansion took bipartisan support and statewide cooperation to push through, Gov. Cooper's efforts provided the political capital necessary to make it a reality. His pragmatic and decisive leadership is something I witnessed as a member of the Charlotte City Council during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he brought stability to our state, helping minimize deaths and economic pain. Prior to that, Gov. Cooper led the effort to repair North Carolina’s reputation and economy damaged by the bigoted “bathroom bill,” H.B. 2. Roy Cooper’s success as a legislator, Attorney General, and Governor has come from building bipartisan support for policies that strengthen wages, protections, and economic fairness for North Carolina workers.
In contrast, Michael Whatley, the Republican frontrunner for the U.S. Senate, has a campaign website devoid of any policy positions at all, let alone policies that will help North Carolina’s working people. Despite being personally appointed "Hurricane Helene Relief Czar" by President Trump, Whatley has been the target of bipartisan outrage for his failed relief efforts. And when given the chance to seek the endorsement of over a hundred and twenty-five thousand working people in our great state last month, Whatley whiffed.
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We are unequivocally supporting Associate Justice Anita Earls’ campaign to retain her seat on the North Carolina Supreme Court. Justice Earls is an ardent protector of workers' civil and voting rights and recognizes that workers ought to be entitled to the fruits of their own labor. Not only is Justice Earls a fair and objective jurist, but she has proven herself able to put up the political fight that is the reality of winning judicial elections today.
Unfortunately, we believe that the 2024 effort by Michael Whatley and the North Carolina Republican Party to throw out lawfully cast ballots will be repeated this cycle. Without a warrior for democracy on the bench, a majority of the court could back Chief Justice Paul Newby’s efforts to disenfranchise voters and further weaken our democracy. Our labor movement has no doubt that Justice Anita Earls is that warrior, and we will do all that we can to ensure she is elected and sworn in for a second term.
The importance of quality jurists continues at the Court of Appeals level, which is why, after hearing from them during our candidate screening process, we are proud to endorse Judge John Arrowood and Judge Toby Hampson for re-election.
North Carolina voters will have the opportunity to decide which candidates make it to the general election in November by voting in the primary on Tuesday, March 3rd. Early Voting with same-day registration begins on Thursday, February 12th, and ends on Saturday, February 28th at 3 PM. Learn more at aflcionc.org/vote.