Democrat Candidate Threatens Lawfare Against News Outlet Asking About His Age

Former Gov. Roy Cooper, who is the Democrat nominee in North Carolina’s Senate race, seems rather sensitive about his health.

When the North State Journal asked for comment on concerns about his health, he had a law firm issue a cease-and-desist letter to the news outlet.

In recent years, health related issues have arisen for national figures like former President Joe Biden, as well as Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and the abrupt passing of Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).

With that as a backdrop, North State Journal asked former Gov. Roy Cooper’s Senate campaign if he was committed to fulfilling his six-year term if elected in November and if there were any health problems that might impede him. Cooper is 69 years old.

North State Journal (NSJ) has previously emailed questions to the campaign eight times this year, and all but two went unanswered. The ninth time, NSJ received a cease-and-desist letter threatening legal action from the Elias Law Group. The newspaper received that reply within about five and half hours of sending our questions.

The Elias Law Group is run by Marc Elias, the former campaign lawyer for Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential bid. Elias has been involved in multiple lawsuits against the state of North Carolina over voting measures and redistricting.

The letter, from Elias Law Group partner Ben Stafford, stated, “Governor Cooper intends to complete his entire term, and any suggestion that he is ‘experiencing a neurological issue,’ or that any health condition would prevent him from completing his term, is categorically false and defamatory.”

Cooper’s opponent, Michael Whatley, is more than a decade younger than Cooper, having turned 58 on Oct. 1. The Whatley camp was asked similar questions earlier this year by NSJ and was re-asked those questions after receiving the Elias Law Group’s letter. Both times, the Whatley campaign said he would complete his term and that he didn’t have any health issues.

NSJ’s inquiries to Roy Cooper’s campaign regarding the 69-year-old former governor’s health and ability to complete a six-year Senate term were met with a cease-and-desist letter. #ncpol https://t.co/gURNyNHfSW

— North State Journal (@nsjnews) October 13, 2026

The former governor has not publicly commented on concerns about his health, and there have not been any major reports revealing that he’s suffering from any serious maladies.

Seems notable that Roy Cooper is so sensitive to questions about his health that he has dark money election denier Mark Elias sending cease and desist letters as a response to basic media inquiries….

— Matt Whitlock (@MattWhitlock) October 13, 2026

But, given his age, you would think he’d be willing to address questions about it. Sending a cease-and-desist letter in response to valid questions will only make people wonder what he’s trying to hide.

But perhaps he’s confident he won’t have to deal with the issue. The most recent polling shows Cooper leading his opponent, Republican Michael Whatley, 54 percent to 40 percent among likely voters.

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