US ELECTIONS: Cooper reelected North Carolina governor, defeating pro-oil challenger: AP

North Carolina's Democratic governor will get a second term to continue efforts to harden infrastructure against extreme weather and cut carbon emissions in the politically conservative South.

Incumbent Governor Roy Cooper narrowly won the state's gubernatorial race Nov. 3 with about 52% of the vote with 93% of districts reporting, according to The Associated Press, which called the race.

In the aftermath of two devastating hurricanes just two years apart, Cooper embraced climate science and issued an executive order to put the state's power sector on a path to carbon neutrality by 2050. His plan to address climate change and transition to a clean energy economy looks to accelerate coal plant retirements, expand renewable energy growth and reform utility regulation and rate setting. North Carolina already ranks second among US states in solar energy capacity.

Cooper has opposed drilling off the North Carolina coast but wavered on pipelines and fracking. He supported the now-cancelled Atlantic Coast Pipeline, drawing criticism from his base and climate activists despite brokering a controversial deal that would have had the ACP developers pay for a multimillion-dollar fund to aid counties affected by the pipeline with economic development and environmental repairs. Following the project's cancellation, his administration has taken a more critical view of other gas pipelines.

Cooper fended off a challenge from the state's Republican Lieutenant Governor Dan Forest, who has not been supportive of the aggressive climate agenda. Rather, he has backed onshore and offshore drilling in the state and argued that renewables cannot support the state's energy consumption, fostering the need for nuclear, coal and gas-fired generation.