The NRSC rolled out its ad on Monday, highlighting comments from Cooper marking nine years since he signed legislation repealing North Carolina's HB 2 law. The original law required people in public buildings to use bathrooms matching the sex on their birth certificate.

In clips featured in the ad, Cooper calls HB 2 “one of the most discriminatory laws in the country” and says, “I could not tolerate having House Bill 2 be the law of the land in North Carolina. I could not tolerate it another minute.” He also described the law as creating “a misguided, unworkable, and unnecessary requirement” for restroom use.

NRSC officials argue that Cooper’s statements reveal his determination to dismantle protections that prevented men from entering women’s bathrooms. “For nearly 40 years, Roy Cooper has fought to transition North Carolina to Democrats’ woke agenda,” said NRSC Regional Press Secretary Nick Puglia. “Cooper promised the radical left he would ensure men could use women’s bathrooms, and he delivered for they/them.”

The ad emphasizes Cooper’s call to erase HB 2, stating it “is a stain on our great state’s reputation, and it’s got to be wiped out.”

Republicans appear poised to make the bathroom debate and broader transgender issues a central theme in the competitive Senate race. Cooper entered the contest following Republican Sen. Thom Tillis’ announcement last June that he would not seek reelection in 2026.

The NRSC’s messaging signals an aggressive strategy to frame Cooper’s record as a focal point for conservative voters in North Carolina, highlighting cultural and gender issues as key battlegrounds in the upcoming campaign.