North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced his decision not to pursue the vice presidential running mate position for Kamala Harris in the upcoming election, citing that it wasn’t the right time for North Carolina and himself to potentially be on a national ticket.
Cooper expressed his strong support for Vice President Harris’ presidential campaign, endorsing her leadership qualities and affirming his commitment to Campaigning for her to win.
The big picture: Despite withdrawing from the running mate consideration, Cooper continued to show support for Harris by delivering remarks on a grassroots organizing call aimed at bolstering her candidacy.
- If Cooper had joined Harris’ campaign, under constitutional law, North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson would have assumed the role of active governor in Cooper’s absence, as Cooper is term-limited from running for a third time.
What we’re watching: Other rumored contenders for Harris’ VP running mate include individuals such as Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, and Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, among others.
- The Democratic National Convention, scheduled to begin on August 19 in Chicago, may see Harris nominated as the Democratic presidential nominee, with expectations that the vice president will likely be chosen by an August 7 deadline.