RALEIGH, N.C. - North Carolina's new Democratic governor is expanding his lawsuit against Republican legislative leaders who pushed through laws just before he got sworn in that reduce the longstanding powers of his office.

Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday broadened litigation he previously filed in state court seeking to block a law that takes the authority to oversee elections away from the governor and giving it to the legislature. Now Cooper is seeking to stop laws requiring his Cabinet to be subject to confirmation by the state Senate and forcing him to retain hundreds of former Republican Gov. Pat McCrory's political appointees in state jobs.

The lawsuit also challenges how the wife of McCrory's aide got appointed to a state commission for close to nine years.

Cooper already persuaded a court last week to halt enforcement of the election provisions for now.

The laws were passed last month, barely a week after McCrory conceded to Cooper in their close race.