In a surprising turn of events, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper has withdrawn his name from the list of potential vice presidential candidates for Kamala Harris in the 2024 elections.
Cooper, who had been seen as a strong contender, announced his decision in a statement on Monday night.
According to ABC News, Cooper expressed his unwavering support for Harris' presidential campaign, stating, "I strongly support Vice President Harris' campaign for President. I know she's going to win and I was honored to be considered for this role. This just wasn't the right time for North Carolina and for me to potentially be on a national ticket." Despite his withdrawal, Cooper emphasized his commitment to Harris' victory, adding, "As I've said from the beginning, she has an outstanding list of people from which to choose, and we'll all work to make sure she wins."
Following his announcement, Cooper participated in a grassroots organizing call, "White Dudes for Harris," where he continued to champion Harris' candidacy. He did not, however, address his decision to withdraw from the vice presidential race. Instead, he underscored the nation's need for Harris' leadership, stating, "We know that this country needs Kamala Harris more than ever right now, and we can hold the key now."
Cooper's support for Harris has been evident since he formally endorsed her on July 21. He praised her leadership qualities and expressed his belief in her ability to defeat Donald Trump. "Kamala Harris should be the next President. Ive known @VP going back to our days as AGs, and she has what it takes to defeat Donald Trump and lead our country thoughtfully and with integrity. I look forward to campaigning for her as we work to win NC up and down the ticket," he wrote.
As the former chairman of the Democratic Governors Association, Cooper's potential inclusion on Harris' ticket was seen as a strategic move to expand the Democratic Party's influence in swing states. However, his participation would have resulted in North Carolina's Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson, a Republican, stepping in as active governor during the campaign period. Robinson is currently engaged in a competitive race against the Democratic nominee, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein.
With Cooper out of the running, other potential vice presidential candidates for Harris include Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, and Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker.
Harris is expected to be nominated as the Democratic presidential nominee as early as Thursday, with DNC delegates voting for her through a virtual roll call ahead of the Democratic National Convention. The DNC's Rules Committee has passed a plan requiring their presidential nominee to be selected by August 7, but the vice presidential nomination is not necessarily bound by the same deadline. Democratic leaders have indicated, however, that the VP will likely be chosen by that date.
As the window to declare intent to run for the presidential nomination has now closed, Harris stands as the only competitive challenger in the race. She has secured commitments from enough delegates to become the presumptive nominee if they all honor their commitment when voting. This development underscores the anticipation and excitement surrounding the upcoming Democratic National Convention, set to commence in Chicago on August 19.
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