Former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper Faces Backlash for Praising Minnesota’s Tim Walz Amid Fraud Scandal

Senate Republicans have criticized former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, now a U.S. Senate candidate, for his past praise of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

The remarks resurfaced after Walz announced he will suspend his reelection campaign amid mounting criticism over fraud committed against state agencies during his tenure.

In an interview, Cooper stated: “Governor Tim Walz is an extraordinary leader. I’ve worked with him over the years. I’ve seen his ability to make strong executive decisions.”

Senate Republicans noted that last year Cooper described Walz as an extraordinary leader, but now Walz is under fire for a fraud scheme estimated at $1 billion that occurred during his governorship.

Walz, the 2024 Democratic candidate for vice president, appeared to shift blame for the fraud away from himself Monday when he announced the suspension of his reelection bid. Less than four months after launching his campaign, Walz said negative attention and Republican attacks had contributed to an “extraordinarily difficult year for our state,” making it impossible for him to serve full time as governor while also running for re-election.

Audits of state programs are underway, with some reports predicting the fraud could exceed $8 billion.