NC Governor Roy Cooper Bows Out of Kamala’s VP Race

Since the Biden-Harris campaign shifted focus to Vice President Kamala Harris, she has been on the lookout for her running mate. Notable names in the mix include Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, among others.

A name that is often mentioned is North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. News has emerged tonight that he’s dropped out of the race without any explanation.

He announced the news via X/Twitter Monday evening.

The New York Times has more on the withdrawal:

Gov. According to two sources briefed about the issue, Roy Cooper, who was seen as the leading candidate to be Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in the past, informed his team that he had withdrawn from the vice presidential sweepstakes.

Mr. Cooper was considered to be one of the top half dozen candidates who would join Ms. Harris in the Democratic ticket.

It wasn’t immediately clear why he removed himself from consideration. Both a Harris campaign spokesman and a Cooper campaign spokesman declined to comment.

Ms. Harris and Mr. Cooper have been friends since their time as state attorneys general. They also recently campaigned together. He won twice the governorships in North Carolina, which is a battleground, while Donald J. Trump was the president of the country. Mr. Cooper cannot run for a third term.

Cooper’s star is fading a little, but not for any reason. Kelly and Walz have seen their star rise and Shapiro was a frontrunner from the start.

The three men who are still in the race (as Cooper does) come from states that can be considered swing states. Minnesota, however, is a state that is less traditional than the other two.

Shapiro’s role as Pennsylvania governor is a positive factor. He remains popular in the state despite only being elected to his governorship in 2022. If Trump wins his state, it will be much more difficult for Harris to defeat the former president, but not impossible. The flip side is that if Trump does not win Pennsylvania, it will be much harder for Harris to overcome the former president – though not impossible.

Arizona, a redder state than blue in recent years, is still struggling to hold on. Minnesota is a blue state that polls have shown to be Trump’s state.

Harris is in a difficult position. She is searching for a candidate who can help her reach blue-collar midwestern workers. This is a group that she does not have a strong hold on and that is moving towards Trump’s populist rhetoric. Harris must also find a way of securing the Rust Belt, especially with Trump’s choice for vice president, Ohio Senator JD Vance.

Cooper may have withdrawn from the race because of this. Although his state has a similar number to Pennsylvania’s, Cooper is not someone who could help her Rust Belt Voters.