After running an impressive campaign for US Congress in North Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District, Lt. Col. (ret.) Scott Cooper has decided to continue his service to the people of North Carolina as a Board Member at the Voter Protection Project (VPP). The Voter Protection Project is a national voting rights group taking electoral action to combat partisan gerrymandering and voter suppression. After running in a textbook gerrymandered district, Cooper saw first hand how partisan gerrymandering limits the rights of everyday citizens to have their voices heard.
Voter Protection Project formed in 2019 and has made significant investments to win back state legislative chambers across the country, flip the United States Senate and protect Democratic gains made in 2018 to flip the House. North Carolina has been identified by the Voter Protection Project as a key battle ground target for 2020 — where State Senate Democrats need to net five seats to flip the chamber.
Cooper released the following statement on working with the Voter Protection Project:
“Guaranteeing that every American, irrespective of his or her race, religion, economic status or political beliefs has the right to participate in free and fair elections is at the core of our democracy. Unfortunately, partisan gamesmanship and politician-made maps have disenfranchised far too many North Carolina communities.
I have committed my life to service and protecting the fundamental rights of Americans. I look forward to working with the Voter Protection Project and leading the charge to expand voting rights, enforcing fair maps and expanding ballot access for North Carolina residents.”
“The Voter Protection Project is honored to have a selfless public servant like Scott Cooper on our team,” said VPP Executive Director Matt Liebman. “Scott has spent his entire career fighting to keep Americans safe and to establish opportunities for veterans to serve their communities. As this crucial 2020 election approaches, Scott refuses to sit on the sidelines as the basic rights of Americans to participate in fair elections are attacked.”
About Scott: Scott Cooper grew up in a working-class home in Wyoming. He went on to serve for 20 years on active duty in the Marine Corps after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy. In 1997, the Marine Corps sent him to North Carolina where he raised his two daughters and deployed eight times, including five tours in Iraq and two in Afghanistan. He went on to found Veterans for American Ideals — an organization that helps veterans to continue serving in their communities. He ran for the Democratic nomination in North Carolina’s 2nd Congressional District before districts were redrawn by order of a state court in December 2019. Cooper now serves on the Board of the Voter Protection Project.
About VPP: The Voter Protection Project (VPP), formed in 2019 to combat partisan gerrymandering and rampant voter suppression tactics by supporting candidates that are champions of voter equality. After the recent Supreme Court Common Cause ruling, which opened the floodgates for national partisan gerrymandering, VPP is committed to changing laws by going state-by-state to elect individuals committed to championing fair elections. VPP’s investments North Carolina demonstrate a strategic commitment to voter equality, a commitment that only grows with Cooper at the helm of these efforts.
###