Whitmer and Cooper Withdraw from VP Consideration

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer have withdrawn from consideration as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate in the 2024 election. Cooper cited it was not the right time for him and expressed concerns about leaving the state, where GOP Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson might assume power. Whitmer, serving as Harris' campaign co-chair, committed to completing her term as governor. This narrows Harris' potential VP picks to include Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. Harris is expected to finalize her choice by August 7, ahead of the Democratic National Convention.