Gov. Cooper attends event in support of Harris as rumors persist that he could be the pick for VP
RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Gov. Roy Cooper attended an event in support of Vice President Kamala Harris as she works toward gaining the nomination for president in the Democratic Party.
This comes as Cooper is being vetted as her potential vice presidential running mate. The governor remained quiet on the subject at a campaign appearance Thursday morning in Raleigh.
On Wednesday night, embattled President Joe Biden pledged his support for Harris after his stunning decision to withdraw his bid to seek reelection. Things moved quickly as first pressure from his own party began to build on Biden to bow out of the race. Then, despite insisting he would stay in, Biden disappeared from public view for days while the American people were told he was battling COVID-19. Things went to chaos level 10 for Democrats after Biden's team announced on X, formerly Twitter, that he would indeed not run again.
Questions swirled about whether Democrats would unite behind a candidate but in a few days, the party quickly united behind Harris, and now rumors abound that Cooper could potentially be on the ticket.
"North Carolinians will make a difference this year, folks," Cooper said Thursday. as he took the stage to rally Democrats behind Harris at a Democrat field office in Raleigh.
Political experts said Cooper already has a good relationship with Harris and could give her a boost providing balance on the ticket with his Southern roots and potential ability to broaden Harris' prospects with swing voters.
"He may be in a position where he can draw and capture the very voters she needs to win this election," said Dr. Jarvis Hall who is a political science professor at North Carolina Central University.
Behind the scenes, in the wake of Biden stepping down, North Carolina's delegates had an emergency meeting and moved to endorse quickly hoping to avoid a contested convention. The Democratic National Convention is less than a month away.
"Honestly there was no debate, everyone got completely behind her as unifying, and we saw what happened before what happened in '68," said Devin Freeman, an NC delegate to the DNC. "We looked at the other candidates and who's the most qualified, it's Kamala Harris."
Enthusiasm among young voters was on display Thursday. as North Carolina's delegation united behind Cooper as a running mate.
"Being able to work alongside the aisle, he's been able to do both. so that's why I'm saying for her campaign, it's going to be in her interest to do so," Freeman said. "And that's why North Carolina is looking forward for Roy Cooper to be the next vice president."
As for Cooper himself, he would not comment directly on the VP stakes but said he trusted Harris to make the right choice.
"There are a lot of people that she can choose, she's going to make the right choice," Cooper said. "I just want her to choose the person who is going to give her the best chance to win."
Cooper also gave a few thoughts on former President Donald Trump's pick as VP, Ohio Sen. JD Vance.
"It's pretty clear that Donald Trump chose someone in his own image," Cooper said. "I mean, sort of a mini-me."
In a statement. North Carolina Republicans told ABC11 that whether Cooper is on the ticket or not, they see Harris as a weak opponent and they can hold North Carolina. They also said they were happy with Trump's pick of Vance.
