Roy Cooper, the former North Carolina governor and Democratic Senate candidate, has said he would not sign the "Promise to America," a moderate Democratic pledge repudiating socialist positions, arguing that the party needs to be a "wide spectrum" that includes candidates aligned with the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA). His remarks, captured in undercover video footage obtained by Fox News Digital, come as he campaigns to succeed retiring Republican Senator Thom Tillis in a historically GOP-leaning state, and raise questions about whether moderate Democrats can reconcile their platforms with the DSA's more radical agenda.

The DSA advocates positions including abolishing the US Senate, public ownership of corporations and scrapping Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Cooper is not affiliated with or backed by the group and has publicly denied being a socialist or communist, pointing to his record of working with a Republican-led legislature during his 2017-2025 tenure as governor. His campaign said he pledges only to North Carolinians and will work with anyone, including Republicans. Republican Senator Ted Cruz countered that Democratic moderates are too afraid of their progressive flank to challenge it, claiming Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is "terrified," while Cooper argued Democrats must "stick together" to avoid what he called a risk of "autocracy."