NC Dem. Gubernatorial Nominee Roy Cooper Declines To Endorse Hillary Clinton For President | Eastern North Carolina Now

 Reporter: Do you intend to endorse Hillary Clinton?

 Roy Cooper: We are running our race right now, and we are going to let the Democratic primary run its course. I do believe strongly that North Carolina is ready for change, and they are ready for a new governor. One thing I do know is we don't need Donald Trump as president, that's for sure.

Taking five with Dem gubernatorial candidate Roy Cooper

• By Sarah Mansur
• Daily Dispatch
• May 27, 2016

 The Daily Dispatch recently had an opportunity to speak with state Attorney General and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Roy Cooper after he held a closed community meeting at St. James Missionary Baptist Church in Henderson.

 Daily Dispatch: You have stated that you are against HB2 and believe it should be repealed. But the Republican state legislators have indicated they have no interest in doing that. If the political will doesn't exist to repeal HB2, what do you think should be done?

 Roy Cooper: We have to keep trying in order to make sure we protect our economy. It's becoming more clear every day that this is costing our state in money and jobs, and it's hurting everyday people. I think if we can continue with the pressure on (Gov. Pat McCrory) and the General Assembly, we can get it done. It's creating an unnecessary obstacle for economic improvement in all parts of our state. So we have to keep pushing for repeal of this legislation.

 DD: Obviously, you are running against Gov. Pat McCrory. But do you also think you are running against Donald Trump?

 RC: Gov. McCrory and Donald Trump have been saying some of the same things with their decisive rhetoric. I think we don't need Donald Trump and Gov. McCrory leading our country and our state. We are going to run our own campaign and make sure people understand that they have a real choice in November in leadership of this state, but I also don't think they are going to support Donald Trump either.

 DD: Do you intend to endorse Hillary Clinton?

 RC: We are running our race right now, and we are going to let the Democratic primary run its course. I do believe strongly that North Carolina is ready for change, and they are ready for a new governor. One thing I do know is we don't need Donald Trump as president, that's for sure.

 DD: Earlier this week, 11 states filed a lawsuit to challenge the significant guidance from the Obama administration about how public schools in this country should accommodate transgender students. Do you think the U.S. Department of Education and U.S. Department of Justice overstepped their authority in this case?

 RC: Our state superintendent of Public Instruction says that North Carolina is already dealing with that issue in an appropriate way within the guidelines. So I don't think it's an issue that we have to deal with in this state.