Roy Cooper addresses speculation that he might be Kamala Harris’ running mate

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper on Monday addressed reports that he could become Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate in the 2024 Presidential Election.

He’s one of several governors being mentioned as possible vice presidential candidates, following Pres. Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the race on Sunday.

Several leading Democrats in North Carolina have said they’d like to see Cooper on the presidential ticket. He’s received more votes in the state than presidential candidates in his two runs for governor, and that could help Harris turn North Carolina blue for the first time since 2008. Donald Trump’s margin of victory over Biden in North Carolina in 2020 was about 1.34%.

And when the state’s delegates to the Democratic National Convention held a conference call Sunday to unanimously endorse Harris, they also voted to recommend she pick Cooper as vice presidential nominee.

“They would love to see Governor Cooper become the vice presidential nominee,” N.C. Democratic Party Chairwoman Anderson Clayton told WUNC on Monday. “I think that he only helps a ticket win this state. Regardless of who she picks, we are going to win North Carolina with her on the ticket.”

But speaking Monday morning on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” the Cooper said it’s premature to talk about Harris’ running mate.

“I appreciate people talking about me, but I think the focus right now needs to be on her this week,” he said. “She needs to concentrate on making sure that she secures this nomination and gets the campaign ready to go.”

Cooper has endorsed Harris to be the Democratic nominee. The two have been friends for years, dating back to their time as state attorneys general.

“I want to make sure that Kamala Harris wins,” Cooper told MSNBC. “I’m going to work for her all over this country and do what I can to make sure we stop Donald Trump, and that’s what I’m concentrating on right now.”

Other possible vice presidential picks include Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear. Beshear appeared before Cooper on the same MSNBC show Monday morning. Like Cooper, Beshear has been elected governor twice in a southern state that also twice voted for Trump.

Clayton said she expects the DNC to move forward with a virtual roll call vote on the party’s presidential nomination, but more details will be finalized later this week. Sunday’s call for members of the North Carolina delegation was intended to help delegates understand the process after Biden’s decision to drop out.

“We do believe that it was important for the delegates to know what their rights were as delegates,” she said.

Many of them, including longtime former North Carolina Congressman G.K. Butterfield, spoke enthusiastically in support of Harris, she added.