“I am honored to be considered for this role,” Cooper said in a statement posted to social media. “It just wasn't the right time for North Carolina or for me to have the opportunity to run for office on a national level. As I have said from the beginning, she has a fantastic field of candidates and we will work hard to ensure she is elected.”
Cooper was never formally vetted for the role and declined an offer from Harris' team to be involved in the process, said a person familiar with the process, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private deliberations.
One complicating factor for Cooper was a provision in the North Carolina Constitution that says the lieutenant governor becomes acting governor if the governor leaves the state — meaning that if Cooper was campaigning for Harris, Republican firebrand Mark Robinson would become acting governor.
Cooper's office argued that its legal analysis showed that the governor's authority “does not transition to the lieutenant governor to the extent that the governor remains in communication and able to direct state government actions while traveling.”
But some Democrats worry about potential problems Robinson could cause. Robinson has been known to make some aggressive statements during his time in office. Last year, while Cooper was visiting Japan, Robinson used his emergency powers to declare a week of solidarity with Israel following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
Cooper is also being discussed within the Democratic Party as a possible candidate for the U.S. Senate in 2026.
Cooper, 67, was initially seen as the favorite because of his longtime relationship with Harris and because he has won statewide in North Carolina and has never lost an election there. Democrats were hoping to win the state's 16 electoral votes in November's election, and some thought promoting Cooper could help them win in North Carolina, a state Biden narrowly lost in 2020.
Harris and Cooper's relationship dates back to their days as attorneys general of their respective states.
It was not immediately clear why Cooper was dropping out of the race. The Harris campaign declined to comment. Cooper's withdrawal was first reported by The New York Times.
Leading candidates for the vice presidential position include Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (Democrat), Senator Mark Kelly (Democrat), and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (Democrat), all of whom have participated in events that serve as auditions for the vice presidential run.
Harris is also said to be considering Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) has repeatedly said she is not interested in the position, but some Democrats are still urging Harris to choose Whitmer.
In an interview with The Washington Post last week, Cooper declined to comment on whether he was interested in the job.
“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 pick people that will help her win. I respect the way she does it and I'm not going to comment on how she does it.”
Ms. Harris is a regular visitor to North Carolina, having been there seven times this year, her last visit three days before Mr. Biden's reelection bid, when she was introduced to Mr. Cooper while campaigning in Fayetteville. Ms. Harris later called Mr. Biden a “dear friend” and noted their overlap as the two states' top lawyers.
“I've known him for almost 20 years,” she said. “He's an extraordinary leader.”
Cooper was one of the earliest names to be floated as a possible running mate for Harris after Biden withdrew from the race on July 21. Harris called Cooper, along with other running mates including Beshear and Shapiro, hours after Biden's withdrawal.
“If you want a candidate who can stop Donald Trump from destroying Roe v. Wade “If you want a candidate who's actually prosecuted criminals like Donald Trump, who's able to bring Trump's age and health to the forefront, center stage, Kamala Harris is the person,” Cooper said the following morning on MSNBC.
Harris has tasked former Attorney General Eric Holder with leading the vetting process with a team of lawyers from the law firm Covington & Burling.
Lawyers began their work last week, and Ms. Harris has told aides she wants to choose a “governing partner” qualified to serve as president. She also wants a running mate who can help convey her message of fighting for the middle class and protecting democracy and freedom, according to a person familiar with the deliberations.
