Biden's ghostwriter, Cooper punts reporter, big cash on security, and an insurance hitman?

Plus: Schumer spending millions more for Cooper, polling, and a few quick NC Senate race hits

Jul 24, 2026

Welcome back to the Old North State Update. This is edition #29 for 2026.

The Big Story

Biden’s 2017 ghostwriter interview
A ruling by a D.C. court has put the public one step closer to hearing the interviews of Biden from 2016 and 2017, conducted by Biden’s Promise Me, Dad biographer, Mark Zwonitzer.

Those tapes are the key to understanding the rise of the Biden autopen presidency.

The quest for Zwonitzer’s audio files began after the investigation into Biden’s handling of confidential documents by former special counsel Robert Hur, which mentioned the audio files but did not include their contents.

Hur’s report refused to prosecute Biden for the same crime Trump was accused of by implying Biden was too old and senile to go through a trial:

“We have also considered that, at trial, Mr. Biden would likely present himself to a jury, as he did during our interview of him, as a sympathetic, well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory. Based on our direct interactions with and observations of him, he is someone for whom many jurors will want to identify reasonable doubt. It would be difficult to convince a jury that they should convict him—by then a former president well into his eighties—of a serious felony that requires a mental state of willfulness.”

Hur and Garland’s refusal to charge Biden came just two years after Garland authorized the “use of deadly force” in the Hollywood blockbuster-style FBI raid of Trump’s Mar a lago — for the same alleged crime as Biden.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The legislature returns next Monday, July 27.

U.S. SENATE

Dueling events in Gastonia
On Thursday, both the Whatley and Cooper campaigns held events in Gastonia, which is Whatley’s hometown.

North State Journal sent a photographer to cover both. He was let into the Whatley event and was allowed into Cooper’s event, but was quickly punted by one of Cooper’s campaign staffers.

There’s much more to this story, read my article here.

Cooper’s staff let all other outlets stay put, including several that were allowed to live stream his remarks.

Security for me, but not for thee
Federal Election Commission records show Roy Cooper’s campaign spent at least $277,312 on security.

As noted by FOX News, “The spending comes as Cooper faces GOP attacks over his record on policing, criminal justice reform, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cooperation and COVID-19-era inmate releases during his time as governor.”

Don’t forget — Cooper also let Raleigh burn while he and his family were evacuated to safety outside the city during the 2020 George Floyd riots.

Other campaign stops
This past Tuesday, Whatley had a meet and greet in Mebane with members of Grassroots NC, the state’s largest firearms advocacy group.

The previous week, Whatley continued to hit Cooper as “soft on crime,’ during a stop in Cabarrus County on the 17th. He was joined by Cabarrus County Sheriff Van Shaw, Stanly County Sheriff Jeff Crisco, Sen. Brad Overcash (R-Gaston), as well as Cabarrus Republican Reps. Brian Echevarria and Grant Campbell.

“There are 25 seats at dinner tables across North Carolina that will forever be empty because of Roy Cooper. His reckless release of more than 4,200 hardened criminals from prison placed North Carolinians in jeopardy, including 25 who were killed as a result” Whatley said. “Roy Cooper failed at his most basic job of keeping North Carolinians safe, and the blood of these victims is on his hands.”

Cooper the insurance hitman?
A new ad with Cooper wandering through a hospital setting claiming he’ll go after insurance companies hit last week.

The Whatley campaign was quick to issue a statement mocking the$5 million he “wasted” on two ads that “didn’t do jack squat to help him...” and that this latest ad was just Cooper trying to reinvent himself again.

“Candidate Cooper is desperately trying to hide the fact that Governor Cooper was too cozy with big health insurance companies and that’s why health costs rose by 57% when Cooper was governor,” said Whatley spokesman DJ Griffin.

“Now he expects North Carolinians to believe he’s going to crack down on the health insurance companies who have bankrolled his career,” Griffin said. “North Carolina families can’t afford 6 more years of Roy Cooper cozying up to health insurance executives while their prices go through the roof.”

Schumer worried?
According to Axios, Sen. Chuck Schumer’s Senate Majority PAC is dropping “$11 million more for former Gov. Roy Cooper, increasing the reservation to $42.5 million.”

The PAC is also dropping millions more in Alaska, Ohio, and Iowa.

Axios says this is a signal Democrats believe they can flip these seats, but it could just be as likely they are worried they can’t. The latest poll on the NC race has Whatley within 4 points, down from a 14 point gap.