WASHINGTON — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper chose not to be considered as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, as reported by two sources familiar with the situation on Monday. One reason for this decision was concerns regarding his Republican lieutenant governor potentially taking control in his absence if he were selected.
Cooper, 67, made this decision before Harris officially started requesting vetting information from potential vice presidential candidates, according to the sources who spoke on condition of anonymity. Harris’ search is still ongoing, with her team reviewing details on a shorter list of potential contenders.
Initially, Harris’ team considered about a dozen potential candidates, but the list has narrowed down, with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly emerging as front-runners, according to the sources.
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In a statement, Cooper said, “This just wasn’t the right time for North Carolina and for me to potentially be on a national ticket.” He expressed confidence in Harris’ choices and pledged to support her in winning.
Cooper, who previously chaired the Democratic Governors Association, has a close relationship with Harris dating back to their time as state attorneys general. His potential selection was seen as a strategic move to capture North Carolina, a key target for Democrats to expand their 2020 map.
According to the state constitution, in Cooper’s absence, Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, the GOP’s nominee to succeed the term-limited governor, would act as governor and assume his powers when he is away.
One of the sources mentioned that Cooper had concerns about Robinson’s actions if he were to be extensively absent for campaign-related travels.
Robinson, a strong social conservative, has made controversial statements in the past on issues like abortion, gender roles, and LGBTQ rights.
Prior to President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race, Cooper appeared alongside Harris at campaign events in Greensboro and Fayetteville. He has refrained from discussing details of the vetting process.
“I trust her to make the right decision,” he recently told reporters in North Carolina.
The New York Times was the first to report Cooper’s withdrawal from the process but did not specify the timing or reasoning behind his decision. The Harris campaign declined to provide a comment.
