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James B. of Greensboro, North Carolina. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper speaks at a Biden Harris campaign event July 11 at Dudley High School.
CNN
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Roy Cooper said Monday that the time was not right for him to join the national ticket, two sources familiar with the discussions told CNN, removing himself from consideration as a running mate for North Carolina Gov. Kamala Harris. Accelerated search A new phase has been entered.
Harris’ decision could come within a week, two people familiar with the matter said, with Harris aiming for an announcement before Aug. 7. He wants to have private conversations with top contenders, but it’s not clear. Have those discussions started?
“I strongly support Vice President Harris’ campaign for president. I knew she was going to win and I was considered for the role. It’s not the right time for North Carolina, and I could be on the national ticket,” Cooper said. A statement X has posted on his personal account. “As I’ve said from the start, he’s got a great list of people to pick from and we’ll all be working hard to make sure he succeeds.”
Cooper was approached by the Harris campaign about being vetted, and he declined, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.
The governor, whose friendship with Harris dates back to his time as attorney general of their respective states, was also a senior candidate under consideration. His age, 67, was seen by some Democrats as at odds with Harris’ push for a more radical and younger ticket, sources said.
There was concern among some Democrats about promoting North Carolina’s Republican lieutenant governor, Mark Robinson, who the state constitution says will perform the duties of governor in the state’s absence.
Other Democrats in the state and in Washington, DC, told CNN that Cooper could look at the seat currently held by Republican Thom Tillis in the 2026 Senate race.
Polling and extensive research is underway for other top Democratic caucus contenders, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Arizona Sen. sources including Mark Kelly said. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walls, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg are also seen as prospective drivers.
CNN has reached out to Cooper’s representative. The Harris campaign declined to comment.
03:30 – Source: CNN
A CNN reporter breaks down the pros and cons of Harris’ potential VP picks
In a “White Dudes for Harris” Zoom call Monday night to rally support for the vice president, Cooper praised Harris’ accomplishments, calling her a “strong woman” the nation needs.
“Kamala Harris is a strong woman. She is going to run this country in a way that cares about pocketbook issues. … She is going to clean up our environment. He is going to work to ensure that people have access to healthcare and quality education. We need that kind of person,” he said in the call.
Cooper did not mention being considered as a potential running mate for Harris.
Cooper, seen as one of the top contenders for the role, leads a state that will be an important battleground in 2024. He was elected for the first time in 2016. Just 10,000 votes. He won re-election in 2020 and cannot run for a third term. He approved Harris said earlier this month that he “has what it takes to defeat Donald Trump and run our country thoughtfully and with integrity.”
Throughout his tenure as governor, Cooper has clashed with lawmakers in the state legislature, where Republicans hold a large majority, over issues such as abortion rights and voting rights.
Cooper has previously waved off speculation that he could be on the shortlist for vice presidential nominees if he becomes president. Joe Biden Withdrawing from his re-election campaign, Harris became a candidate.
“I don’t want to play this new favorite political parlor game because stopping Donald Trump is so important to America.” Cooper told CNN in July.
After Biden He announced his resignation And endorsing Harris, a wave of support from state delegates made him the Democratic nominee.
Last week the Democratic National Committee rules committee Rules accepted The party is using it to choose its presidential candidate, with voting to officially nominate Harris beginning Aug. 1. The party has said its goal is to nominate its presidential and vice-presidential candidates by August 7.
This story has been updated with additional reporting.
CNN’s Dianne Gallagher, Edward-Isaac Dovere and Ebony Davis contributed to this story.
