“I was honored to be considered for this role,” Cooper wrote in a statement posted on social media. “It just wasn’t the right time for North Carolina and for me to potentially be on a national list. As I’ve said from the beginning, she has an exceptional list of people to choose from, and we will all work to make sure she wins.”
Cooper, 67, was initially seen as a leading candidate because of his longstanding relationship with Harris and his success in North Carolina, where he has never lost an election. Democrats are hoping to win the state’s 16 electoral votes in November, and some believe Cooper’s elevation could put them ahead in a state where Biden narrowly lost in 2020.
The relationship between Harris and Cooper dates back to a time when both were attorneys general of their respective states.
The reasons for Cooper’s withdrawal from the presidential race were not immediately known, and spokespeople for Cooper and the Harris campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Cooper’s withdrawal was first reported by The New York Times.
Other leading candidates for the job, all of whom have participated in events that serve as vice presidential auditions, include Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Harris is also reportedly considering Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has repeatedly said she is not interested in the job, though some Democrats are still encouraging Harris to choose her.
In an interview with The Washington Post last week, Cooper declined to comment on his potential interest in the position.
“She has a lot of great people to choose from,” he said. “She has to win. I want her to win. I want her to choose the person who can help her win. I respect her approach and I don’t want to comment on that.”
Harris has become a regular presence in North Carolina, traveling there seven times this year. She last visited three days before Biden dropped his reelection bid, making a campaign stop in Fayetteville, where Cooper introduced her. Harris later called him a “dear friend,” noting their overlap as the top lawyers in their states.
“I’ve known him for almost two decades,” she said, “and he’s an extraordinary leader.”
Cooper was one of the first names floated as a possible running mate for Harris after Biden announced on July 21 that he would no longer seek reelection. Harris called Cooper within hours of Biden’s withdrawal, as did other vice presidential hopefuls such as Beshear and Shapiro.
“If you want a candidate who could stop Donald Trump’s destruction of the state, Roe v. Wade “At center stage, if you want a candidate who has actually gone after criminals like Donald Trump, and if you want a candidate who could put Trump’s age and fitness at the forefront, Kamala Harris is the person,” Cooper said the next morning on MSNBC.
Harris has appointed former attorney general Eric Holder to lead the selection process with a team of lawyers from Covington & Burling.
Lawyers began their work last week, and Harris has told her advisers she wants to choose “a governing partner” who is qualified to serve as president. She also wants a running mate who can help her push her message of fighting for the middle class and protecting democracy and freedoms, according to the person familiar with the deliberations.
washingtonpost
