The former governor is six points up in what will be one of the most competitive Senate races in the country next year.

Democrats still in the dumps over last year’s elections have found cause for optimism in North Carolina, where former Gov. Roy Cooper jumped into the race for that state’s newly open seat with a vow to address voters’ persistent concerns about the

Strategists say Cooper’s entry makes North Carolina a more difficult seat for the GOP to hold, though a Democrat hasn’t won a Senate race in the traditionally competitive state since 2008.