Politicians, by their very nature, are supposed to take the positions of their constituencies. Sure, it’s great if they believe in something! But if an idea is polling well, and if a certain stance on that idea can get them elected or re-elected, or if it’s something that they know is a bit unpopular now but will pay off for them in the future, then yeah, they will like The Thing That They’re Not Personally Crazy About. Again, we’ve seen what happens when someone running for office in North Carolina says, from their heart, that they don’t like barbecue, only to renounce that position when everybody complains about it.

It’s much easier for politicians, then, to be for innocuous things. Ma’am, I see here you’re running for office. Do you like Cheerwine? Absolutely, it’s all I drink. Who do you think is gonna win at North Wilkesboro next month? Tyler Reddick’s running well these days, but my dark horse pick is [hopeless driver with local ties]. Have you been to [longtime locally beloved restaurant where the food is so-so]? Not yet, but I hear it’s great and I’ll go there the next time I’m in town.

Roy Cooper, the former governor of North Carolina who’s now running for U.S. Senate, is not immune to this. Hence, look at his first campaign ad, which dropped this morning:

Sure, he says insurance companies suck (easy target) and that he wants an economy that values working people (yup!). He also says he sent to church on Sundays growing up (checks out). He then says Fridays were for football (true).

Of course, this is the Roy Cooper of the past. The true Roy Cooper of today would recognize that today is the first day of the Stanley Cup Final, and use that 30 seconds to break down the Carolina Hurricanes power play and to talk about whether they can neutralize Jack Eichel.

Many people know Cooper is a Canes fan. A few years ago, I wanted to understand the depth of his fandom. So, after more than a year of asking, his aides allowed me to tag along with the then-governor for a game. I wanted to know if it was an act. It’s not an act.

(In the interest of fairness, I’ll say here that Cooper’s opponent, Michael Whatley, went to the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte over Memorial Day Weekend. The only Carolina hurricane he’s talked about online over the last few years seems to be Hurricane Helene. Whatley was the “recovery czar,” after the storm. He says he did a great job! Others say he did not!)

One of the weird job requirements of a North Carolina governor: Being a ball knower. Cooper knows ball (and can talk about the North Carolina-Duke game, the ups and downs of NC State, and so on). But no governor is required to know puck. Basketball and football fans almost certainly outnumber hockey fans in this state, but the game is growing here. It’s hard to say if Cooper’s fandom is a sign of hockey’s move away from its northern roots (Hence, a Carolina-Vegas matchup in the Stanley Cup Final). Or, if it’s evidence that people like what they like.

Either way, Cooper has not stopped doing Canes stuff. He tailgated during the Eastern Conference Final. He’s been an analyst on post-game shows. And last fall, he called his shot at the beginning of the season, breaking down film, and fully expecting to drink Sun Drop out of the Stanley Cup. We’ll know in a few weeks whether he’ll finally get the chance.

If you can actually afford a ticket to the game (which are going for upwards of $1,000 at the moment), I’m guessing you can also afford to pony the $95 it’ll cost you to park at the Lenovo Center tonight (It’s $65 if you pre-pay). Which led me to this question:

The online transportation guides for the Lenovo Center list taxis and rideshares as options, but public transportation is nowhere to be found. If you don’t already know, the arena is a ways out from downtown Raleigh, shares a parking lot with Carter-Finley Stadium, and sits near the state fairgrounds.

But yes, it’s POSSIBLE to get there via public transit. A bus stops at the Carter-Finley Park & Ride on the far side of the stadium from the arena. Or! You could get dropped off at the corner of Blue Ridge Rd and Westchase Boulevard and then walk the last mile to the Lenovo Center. All of which is to say that it’s possible but probably not easy. If you’re interested in pulling this off, then please 1.) check out this guys’s Reddit post and 2.) tell me how it went.

Go Canes.