After weeks of uncertainty, Governor-elect Roy Cooper celebrated his victory over Gov. Pat McCrory Tuesday night at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh.
Cooper greeted the crowd of hundreds and began his victory speech by thanking his supporters.
“You know, tonight, it is the greatest honor of my life to stand before you as the governor-elect of our great state,” he said. “It is also humbling, and it has been a long journey for all of us, but we are finally here.”
He thanked McCrory for his public service and said he is confident McCrory is committed to a smooth transition.
“Tonight, we are here to celebrate,” Cooper said. “We celebrate because with this election, we have made decisions about who we are as North Carolinians.”
Cooper's win follows McCrory's concession from the race Monday. The McCrory campaign had raised concerns over voter fraud and had unsuccessfully requested a statewide vote recount.
The McCrory campaign also requested a vote recount in Durham County, which showed no changes in the results after concerns about irregularities with mail-in absentee ballots.
Anna Lineback, a speech therapist for Wake County public schools who attended the event, said Cooper's victory means a lot for her and other education professionals.
"McCrory’s really hurt a lot of the teachers that I’m working with," she said. "So, I really feel like Cooper will be huge advocate for our schools, our state and for teachers and all state employees.”
