Twice in my lifetime (Carter in 1976 and Clinton in 1992) the Democrats have run southern state governors who were virtually unknown nationally before the primaries, who were positioned as “moderates” in the election, and who won the presidency. To gain the Democrat nomination they beat a group of better known and much more liberal candidates. Once in office both governed as progressives.
NC governor Roy Cooper is in his second term. He won re-election in 2020 despite Trump winning the state, a Republican becoming the lieutenant governor, a Republican (Tillis) winning re-election to the Senate, and the Republicans retaining control of the state legislature. Cooper is reported to presidential ambitions and seems to be working quietly behind the scenes to position himself in 2024. He is a clever politician whose leftist policies have been mostly checked by the Republican legislature and despite being a hard leftist he has successfully (with the help of the media) positioned himself as a moderate. NC is a growing state with a healthy economy.
The powers behind the scenes know Biden and his far left policies are unpopular. Unless something dramatically changes running a known leftist candidate such as Newsome, Harris, Mayor Pete, or Pritzker means defeat for a nation looking for policy change. Trotting out a wolf in sheep’s clothing may be the solution to the problem. Look out for an unknown attractive candidate to appear on the scene.
Cooper brings the added attraction of North Carolina’s 16 electoral votes. If those votes go to the Dems in 2024, the Electoral College math becomes very difficult for any GOP presidential candidate. Pritzker, Newsome, and Harris are from states almost certain to go Dem (Illinois and California). Mayor Pete has never won a statewide race in his GOP leaning home state of Indiana. Cooper won re-election in NC in 2020 with more votes than Trump received. It is very possible he would carry the state running against Trump, or DeSantis, in 2024.
If Biden resigns or dies in office, Cooper could be the dark horse pick for appointment to VP. A number of GOP Senators would cross the line to vote for him. As VP he would quickly appear to the nation as the confident, capable, and reasonable leader compared to the bumbling and overwhelmed Harris. If Harris then decides not to run in 2024, certainly there will be tremendous pressure for her to step aside, Cooper would be the front runner for the Dem nomination. He would run as a “safe” moderate. Unlike Biden running from his basement, Cooper would campaign aggressively, and confidently, on the road against either Trump or DeSantis and would benefit from the mainstream media positioning him as the smart, safe, moderate, adult in the room.
White suburban women will once again be the decisive swing vote in 2024. Against an angry Trump, Roy Cooper can speak to them as a calm and safe alternative to a repeat of the partisan strife and mean tweets of the first Trump term. If Democrats can’t win on their record one option is to find the candidate who can be made to look attractive to a the key voting block which can persuaded Trump is mean spirited and dangerous. In that scenario the Democrats will delight in Trump returning to Twitter and will be happy to make the key issue in the election Trump’s combative and mean spirited personality.
Expect the unexpected in 2024. Trump changed the playbook in 2016. There may be a Democrat lying in the weeds who will do the same in 2024. Unless they run Michelle, they will need a surprise.
” on the road against either Trump or DeSantis and would benefit from the mainstream media positioning him as the smart, safe, moderate, adult in the room.”
That’s exactly what the dems/media did in 2020 with bien. If the American people are so stupid to fall for that twice in a row, oh well.
I live in this state. Roy Cooper and the Democrat Sec of State Josh Stein REALLY SUCK. The Republican dominated state legislature keep him from enacting much of his agenda but Cooper is singlehandedly stopping the state from passing a lot of needed laws on everything from constitutional carry, to stricter election integrity laws (NC’s laws here are not bad but could be improved), lowering taxes, etc.