North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has dropped out of the race to become Vice President Kamala Harris’ potential running mate.
Cooper confirmed his withdrawal in a statement, saying he was “honored to be considered for this role.”
“It just wasn’t the right time for North Carolina and for me to potentially be on the national list. As I’ve said from the beginning, she has an outstanding list of people to choose from, and we’ll all work to make sure she wins,” he said.
A source close to Cooper said the governor “proactively sent a signal” to Harris’ team on July 21 that he should not be considered for the job. He cited a belief that North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson would “stir up chaos” and act like an “acting governor” if Cooper left the state to campaign, the source said.
Robinson, a Republican, is running to succeed Cooper as governor.
Cooper was one of a dozen people selected for the role, CBS News previously reportedOther names being considered include Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
At 67, Cooper was the oldest of the group.
He won his two gubernatorial races in the same years that Trump won North Carolina. In 2016, he defeated Republican incumbent Governor Pat McCrory, becoming the first candidate to defeat a sitting governor in the state’s history. He is ineligible to run for a third term due to term limits.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has also indicated she is not interested in joining the ticket, telling “CBS Mornings” Monday that she is “not part of the selection process.”
“I have communicated with everyone, including the people of Michigan, that I will remain governor until the end of my term at the end of 2026,” Whitmer said. said.
Fin Gomez
