Cooper, who was term-limited after finishing eight years as governor at the end of 2024, is widely popular in the state and has never lost a race over more than 30 years in state politics - for state Senate, attorney general, and governor. He won most of those races in years when Republicans carried the state in presidential elections.
"Gov. Cooper would be making his intentions known in the coming days," a spokesperson for Cooper said in a statement.
The decision comes after Republican Sen. Thom Tillis announced that he would not seek a third term.
Without Tillis on the ballot, Republicans have been pondering the best candidate to hold onto their slim majority in the Senate. Lara Trump, the president's daughter-in-law and a North Carolina native who currently lives in Florida, is considering a bid for the Republican nomination.
According to our newsgathering partners at the News and Observer, the 2026 Senate race is expected to be one of the most expensive in the country.
Cooper was also asked by Kamala Harris's aides to be one of the running mate options she considered last year, but opted not to participate. He has long been sought by Democrats as a Senate candidate but passed on several other recruitment efforts.
During a one-on-one interview with ABC11's Steve Daniels in December and six months before Tillis dropped out, Cooper acknowledged he may launch a campaign to become the Democratic nominee in the U.S. Senate race in 2026. You can watch the full interview below.
WATCH: Cooper reflects on nearly 40 years in NC politics as term winds down
Gov. Roy Cooper goes one-on-one with ABC11 as term winds down
The North Carolina Democratic Party Unity Dinner this weekend will be Cooper's first public outing since leaving office.
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The CNN-Wire contributed to this report.