Get to Know Roy Cooper, North Carolina Governor and Potential VP Candidate

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat, is rumored to be considered as a potential running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris in the upcoming 2024 presidential election. Cooper, aged 67, is a loyal supporter of Harris and has been serving as the 75th governor of North Carolina since 2017.

Prior to his governorship, Cooper, a native of Nashville, North Carolina, held the position of the state’s attorney general for 16 years, from 2001 to 2017. His political journey began at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he was elected as the president of the university’s Young Democrats. Cooper later obtained a doctoral degree from the University of North Carolina School of Law in 1982.

While studying law, Cooper’s involvement in politics continued as then-Governor Jim Hunt appointed him to the State Goals and Policy Board, making him the youngest member to serve on the board at the time. Hunt also appointed Cooper to the Interim Balance Growth Board and the North Carolina 2000 Commission.

In 1985, Cooper embarked on his legislative career by running for the North Carolina House of Representatives from the state’s 72nd District. He emerged victorious in the 1986 election, defeating his 12-term incumbent Democratic primary opponent, Allen Barbee. Cooper’s dedication to public service led him to be appointed to serve out the remainder of a state Senate term in 1991, following the death of Senator Jim Ezzell in a car accident. Subsequently, he was elected as the majority leader of the state Senate in 1997 after the resignation of then-leader Richard Conder.

Cooper’s active engagement in the legal community saw him being elected to the North Carolina Bar Association’s Board of Governors, a position he held until 2002. In January 2000, he stepped into the role of the state’s attorney general after defeating Republican Dan Boyce in the November 2000 general election. Cooper was re-elected to this position in 2004, 2008, and 2012.

Transitioning to the gubernatorial arena, Cooper contested for the governorship of North Carolina in 2016 and triumphed over Republican incumbent Pat McCrory in the general election. Cooper secured a re-election victory in 2020 by defeating Dan Forest, the state’s lieutenant governor and the Republican nominee.

Known for advocating various liberal policies and initiatives, Cooper has positioned himself as a moderate voice within the Democratic party. Despite his efforts, he faces challenges in a state where former President Donald Trump prevailed in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections.

Throughout his tenure as governor, Cooper has engaged in several confrontations with the Republican-dominated state legislature. Notably, in October 2023, he filed a lawsuit against state GOP lawmakers over a legislation that curtailed his authority to appoint elections board members. Additionally, Cooper has vetoed numerous bills passed by the North Carolina General Assembly, many of which have been overridden by the Republican majority.

In recent times, political analysts and insiders have viewed Cooper as a dependable option for Harris to consider as her running mate in the upcoming 2024 White House race. Shortly after President Biden announced his withdrawal from the presidential race and endorsed Harris for the role, Cooper campaigned for Harris at a Democratic field office in Raleigh.

“North Carolinians will play a pivotal role this year,” Cooper expressed during the campaign event. He further added, “There are several individuals she can choose from, and she will make the right decision. I simply hope she selects the person who will offer her the best opportunity to succeed.”