Senate Democrats received a massive shot in the arm on Monday as former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) announced he is a go for the state’s high-stakes Senate race, delivering the party its biggest recruiting victory of the cycle and the hope that it could lead to more in the coming months.

Exclusive: Democrat Roy Cooper, who served two terms as North Carolina governor, makes his candidacy official in what's expected to be a highly watched and expensive race.

Former Gov. Roy Cooper is officially running for U.S. Senate. "I've had enough. I've thought on it and prayed about it, and I've decided: I want to serve as your next United States senator because even now I still believe our best days are ahead of us," Cooper said in a video released by the campaign.