Gov-elect Roy Cooper is a regular visitor to Local 391, including annual visits to the Steward Seminars held every other year.

In a video statement released Monday, December 5, Governor Pat McCrory conceded the race for Noth Carolina governor to Roy Cooper after the NC State Board of Elections votes showed over 10,000 votes for the Local 391 endorsed candidate. 

"I ask all of us to please pray for our new governor, Roy Cooper, and our new president, Donald Trump, and their families, and I encourage everyone, now more than ever, to respect our public servants and the offices they were elected to hold," Governor McCrory said.

“I want to thank Gov. McCrory and our First Lady Ann McCrory for their service to our state,” Cooper wrote. “Kristin and I look forward to working with them and their staff in what I expect will be a smooth transition. While this was a divisive election season, I know still that there is more that unites us than divides us.”

"We congratulate Governor-elect Roy Cooper on his victory and stand with him as he works with the General Assembly to secure jobs, pass moderate budgets, and restore North Carolina's image as a jobs destination," said Local 391 President Mike McGaha.   

McGaha said Local 391 was the first organization to endorse Cooper back in 2014 for what was yet-to-be an announced candidacy for the state's top executive job.  "Cooper is a leader and I felt it was important to let the state know early that working men and women supported his leadership," said McGaha.

Governor-elect Roy Cooper will be sworn in as the 75th governor of North Carolina the first week in January.  Cooper faces challenges in working with a Republican controlled General Assembly, something that illuded Governors McCrory, a Republican, and Beverly Perdue, a Democrat.