North Carolina Senate race: Republicans use criminal case to target Roy Cooper

The criminal history of Esteban Vasallo Corteguera, a Cuban national residing in Cullowhee, North Carolina, has become a central issue in the Republican campaign against Democratic Senate candidate Roy Cooper. Corteguera faces a range of serious charges, including first-degree kidnapping, assault causing serious injury, and possession with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine.

Republican organizations, including the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), are using Corteguera’s case to criticize Cooper’s past immigration policies as governor. They argue that Cooper’s repeated vetoes of legislation intended to mandate cooperation between local law enforcement and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) allowed individuals with criminal records to remain in the community.

Cooper has previously defended his position by stating that authorities already possess the power to prosecute individuals for serious crimes regardless of immigration status, and has argued that such mandates exploit immigration for political purposes. While Cooper vetoed similar measures in 2019, 2022, and 2024, the General Assembly eventually overrode his final veto to enact a law requiring cooperation with ICE.