North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper takes his name off Harris VP shortlist

WASHINGTON — North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, who was widely considered a leading contender to be Vice President Kamala Harris' running-mate, has taken his name out of contention.

Cooper confirmed in a statement Monday night that he's withdrawn himself from consideration to be Harris' pick as vice president.

"This just wasn't the right time for North Carolina and for me to potentially be on a national ticket," the two-term governor said in a statement. "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," Cooper said of Harris.

Cooper, who will leave the governor's office at the end of the year, was among several Democrats who the Harris campaign vetted for the job of vice president.

More: Sen. Mark Kelly, Gov. Josh Shapiro betting favorites as Democratic VP candidate

It wasn't immediately clear whether the Harris campaign lost interest in Cooper, or whether Cooper made the decision unprompted on his own. Cooper's name is often mentioned as a potential Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in North Carolina in 2026, when Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., is up for reelection.

Cooper was a top surrogate of President Joe Biden before he dropped out of the race and has since become a vocal supporter of Harris through television appearances and other campaign engagements.

The New York Times first reported on Cooper's withdrawal.

Harris is aiming to name a running-mate before Aug. 7, the deadline for the Democratic National Committee to virtually confirm the party's presidential and vice presidential nominees ahead of the Democratic National Convention later in the month.

Other Democrats under consideration by Harris as her vice presidential nominee include Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Cooper, a 67-year-old former attorney general before twice elected as governor, was seen by many Democrats as a prime contender for vice president because of his potential to put Harris over the top in North Carolina, a critical battleground state in the 2024 election that has historically leaned Republican.

Cooper is credited by Democrats for successfully pushing through progressive causes in the South despite the state's Republican-controlled legislature including expanding Medicaid as part of the federal Affordable Care Act.

Cooper is also a champion for abortion access ? a key theme of the Harris campaign. Cooper vetoed a 12-week abortion ban last year, only to be overridden by Republicans in the North Carolina legislature.

Reach Joey Garrison on X, formerly Twitter, @joeygarrison.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper withdraws from Harris VP consideration