Gov. Cooper to be one of last speakers before Harris accepts presidential nomination at DNC

CHICAGO (AP/WNCN) — North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper is set to be one of the final speakers before Vice President Kamala Harris accepts the presidential nomination at the Democratic National Convention Thursday night, according to the Associated Press.

Cooper, who has known Harris since their days as attorneys general of their respective states, was on the shortlist of Harris’ potential running mates before opting out of the vetting process on July 29.

Donald Trump won North Carolina in 2020, but it is seen as a key battleground state this election season and one of the few places in the South where Harris can pick up electoral college votes.

At an event hosted by Bloomberg at the DNC this week, Cooper said the state’s changing demographics as well as a hotly-contested race to succeed him as governor is making North Carolina means Democrats have a better shot at winning the state this time around. He added that he has “that 2008 feeling,” referring to when Barack Obama won North Carolina during his first run — the last time the state’s electoral college votes went to a Democrat.

Harris has already visited North Carolina several times this year, including just last Friday when she outlined her economic plan during a campaign event in Raleigh. During the speech the vice president touched on price gouging — always a hot topic in the state after natural disasters like this month’s Tropical Storm Debby — as well as opportunities to help first-time homebuyers .

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