Topline
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper reportedly took himself out of the running to be Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, The New York Times and CNN reported Monday afternoon—shrinking the field of Democrats vying to be Harris’ running mate.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper was one of at least three Democratic governors being vetted by … [+]
Key Facts
Cooper reportedly told Harris’ team he no longer wants to be considered as a potential vice president, according to the Times, though it was not immediately clear why.
CNN reported Cooper, 67, had concerns about going through the “veepstakes process” at his age and that Democrats had concerns around the state’s firebrand Republican lieutenant governor, Mark Robinson, performing the governor’s duties if Cooper was absent from the state.
Spokespeople for Cooper and Harris did not immediately respond to Forbes’ request for comment on the Times report.
Cooper was one of about a half dozen politicians—including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz— being vetted by Harris’ team as a potential running mate.
Cooper—who is term-limited in North Carolina and slated to leave office at the start of next year—has known Harris since they were both state attorneys general, the Times reported, and has recently been campaigning for her, leading some to believe he was a top candidate for her running mate.
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Who Else Is In The Running?
In addition to Shapiro, Cooper and Walz, other Democrats reportedly being considered as a potential vice president for Harris include Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.
What To Watch For
When Harris announces her running mate. Whitmer, who is serving as Harris’ campaign co-chair, told CBS News on Monday Harris will likely announce her pick within the next week. Whitmer has said she is “ not a part of the vetting,” adding she intends to serve out the remainder of her term as governor.
Key Background
Harris launched her presidential campaign on July 21 after President Joe Biden announced he would end his reelection bid and endorse his vice president as his replacement. Harris, 59, thanked Biden for his “extraordinary leadership” and his endorsement and said she will “do everything in my power to unite the Democratic Party—and unite our nation—to defeat Donald Trump and his extreme Project 2025 agenda.” Harris garnered support of top Democrats almost immediately and clinched enough delegate votes committed to her to win the Democratic nomination a day after her campaign started. It’s expected the Democratic Party will hold a virtual roll call to formally nominate Harris as the candidate by Aug. 7—a previous deadline for the party following earlier concerns about ballot access in Ohio—meaning Harris is expected to announce her running mate before then.
Further Reading
Israel and Hamas. Previously, she has covered a range of topics from Donald Trump’s legal battles to Taylor Swift’s path to becoming a billionaire. She joined Forbes in April 2022 and is based in Colorado. Prior to joining Forbes, Bohannon covered local news and spent time at the Fort Collins Coloradoan and the Arizona Republic. She graduated with a degree in journalism from Creighton University and has an MA in investigative journalism from Arizona State. Follow Bohannon for continued coverage of pop culture, politics and updates on the war in Gaza.
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