The General Assembly’s rapid-fire overrides of Gov. Josh Stein’s recent vetoes send a clear message: The Republican-led legislature intends to lead, and lean into, the post-Cooper era.
This isn’t just business as usual — it’s a coordinated show of force, and it carries deep political significance heading into the 2026 election cycle.
Over the past eight years Gov. Roy Cooper issued more vetoes than any governor in North Carolina history, building a reputation for progressive policy positions and hardball tactics, often pressuring fellow Democrats and backing primary challengers against those who broke ranks.
Legislators spent years pushing back, passing budgets and bills in the face of vetoes, shifting executive branch authority through legislation, fighting battles in court and the media. The legislature was unable to override his stamp from 2018 until 2023, when Rep. Tricia Cotham’s party switch restored their supermajority. During this period, Senate Leader Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, emerged as arguably the most powerful figure in state politics, frequently clashing with a governor with a fundamentally differing ideology.
That dynamic has defined the power structure in Raleigh for years.
Now, with Josh Stein just seven months into his term, the tone was markedly different, but is still combative. Stein’s relatively recent service in the state legislature allows him more open communication lines, and the early focus on Hurricane Helene recovery brought the leaders together. However, Stein’s recent vetoes, including on school choice, immigration law enforcement, and energy, were met with immediate overrides by unified Republican majorities in both chambers and some Democratic votes.
The message is unmistakable: Republican leaders say they hope to avoid the budget impasses of 2018–23.
This is also a defining moment for the House’s new leadership. Speaker Destin Hall, just 38 and in his first term with the gavel, has quickly demonstrated his ability to maintain discipline in the Republican caucus. He’s following in the footsteps of former Speaker Tim Moore, who now serves in Congress after 10 years at the House helm.
The veto overrides this week are not just about reigning-in government regulatory power, reducing energy costs, or protecting individual privacy rights. While those are important policy victories for the state, the rapid overrides may influence the legislative and electoral landscape going into 2026.
Meanwhile, Stein faces the challenge of defining himself beyond simply being Cooper’s successor. Cooper, on the other hand, must rely on his legacy of prioritizing more government spending, opposition to tax cuts, and aggressive green energy initiatives, as he seeks enough public confidence to carry his policy agenda into a US Senate win.
This year, the nation’s cultural and political pendulum shows signs of swinging back from the far left toward the center. North Carolina Republicans clearly sense the wind at their backs — and the voters increasingly on their side. In the post-Cooper era, some Democrats are now finding space to vote with their districts rather than toe the party line. The Republican lawmakers aren’t just passing bills — they’re shaping the political narrative heading into 2026, betting that the state is ready to move on from the stalemates and symbolism of recent years.