ASHEVILLE -- Former North Carolina Governor and current U.S. Senate candidate Roy Cooper brought his "Make Stuff Cost Less" tour to the heart of the Asheville River Arts District, pitching a platform of economic relief and corporate accountability to a packed audience.
Speaking Wednesday at the River Arts District Brewing Company, Cooper framed his campaign not as a partisan battle, but as a fight for everyday North Carolinians grappling with a complex web of economic pressures, from ballooning grocery bills to the sluggish federal recovery response following Hurricane Helene.
“The folks I talk to across this state, they’re working hard, and they feel like they’re just treading water,” Cooper said, standing before a backdrop of local art and metal brewing equipment. “They’re tired of the red tape, they’re tired of the excuses, and they are definitely tired of paying more for less.”
The "Make Stuff Cost Less" platform, as outlined by Cooper, centers on several key pillars:
1. Lowering Energy and Home Insurance Costs: Cooper addressed the spike in homeowner's insurance premiums, particularly acute in Western North Carolina. He proposed new federal oversight and targeted assistance programs for states like NC facing dramatic rate hikes. Additionally, he called for a ban on utility disconnections during extreme weather events for vulnerable residents, regardless of payment status.
2. Fighting Food and Grocery Inflation: Cooper targeted what he termed "corporate consolidation" in the agricultural and grocery industries. His plan includes blocking major corporate mergers that reduce competition, eliminating "chaotic" federal tariffs that increase costs for farmers and consumers, and banning personalized pricing strategies where grocery stores adjust prices based on individual customer data.
3. Tackling Healthcare and Prescription Drug Prices: Cooper emphasized the need to expand on the progress made during his governorship. He advocated for making permanent the Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits that have helped millions afford insurance and called for a strict federal cap on out-of-pocket prescription drug costs.
Cooper’s choice of venue—the River Arts District—was not accidental. The area, while vibrant and recovering, became a powerful visual metaphor for the uneven nature of the region’s post-Helene recovery. While the brewery itself escaped significant damage, neighboring businesses and residential properties are still battling federal bureaucracy to secure promised relief funding, nearly two years after the storm.
"It’s not lost on me that we stand here in a place that dodged a bullet, surrounded by neighbors still waiting for their help," Cooper told the crowd of approximately 150 supporters and curious residents. "The federal government needs to stop treating Hurricane Helene recovery like a distant memory. For WNC families paying higher assessments on damaged homes, it is a daily reality."
Cooper’s Republican opponent in the Senate race, Michael Whatley, has consistently critiqued Cooper’s economic approach, arguing that the former governor's policies during his tenure actually contributed to the current high inflation rate by increasing state spending and supporting federal stimulus packages.
The "Make Stuff Cost Less" tour is expected to continue across the state, focusing on agricultural hubs, coastal communities, and other regions acutely affected by inflation.
Image: Roy Cooper Social Media