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North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has taken himself out of contention as Kamala Harris’ running mate, according to reports from The New York Times and CNN.
Cooper had been considered a potential running mate given his long friendship with Harris going back to their days as attorneys general of North Carolina and California, respectively.
“I strongly support Vice President Harris’s campaign for president,” he said in a statement on X. “I know she is going to win and it was an honor to be considered for this role. This just wasn’t the right time for North Carolina and for me to be running on the national ticket.”
A widely popular governor in North Carolina, some saw him as having the potential to flip a swing state Democrats have not won in 16 years. Cooper served as attorney general for 16 years before he beat an incumbent Republican governor in 2016 despite Donald Trump carrying the Tar Heel state.
As governor, Cooper expanded Medicaid under Obamacare but also vetoed a 12-week abortion ban that the state legislature ultimately overrode.
Democrats have made a play for North Carolina in 2024, and President Joe Biden’s first event after his disastrous debate performance in Atlanta took place in Raleigh.
But North Carolina remains a longshot given the power of the state Republican Party. Former president Donald Trump selected the state’s GOP chairman Michael Whatley to lead the Republican National Committee alongisde his daughter-in-law Lara Trump.
Cooper’s decision to exit Harris’ vice president selection process comes ahead of him headlining a fundraiser entitled “White Dudes for Harris” on Monday night. He will attend the event with Harris’s other potential running mates, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
Harris largely cleared the field after President Joe Biden announced earlier this month that he would not seek re-election.
Over the weekend, Harris also campaigned with Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro. She is also reportedly considering Arizona Senator Mark Kelly as a way to shore up her support in the western state.
