Pa. Gov. Josh Shapiro is a top contender for vice president

July 21, 2024 | 3:47 PM

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  Ben Wasserstein/WITF
  
  Howdy, I’m Ben, and I cover the state Capitol. In an alternate universe, my bio would read that I graduated from college, traveled to Bhutan and trained in martial arts so that one day I could return and defend my city from crime … like Batman.

  In reality, I graduated from the University of Richmond in 2021 and joined WITF in June of 2023. In between I was down in Charleston, South Carolina at the Post and Courier.

  I like helping people and, in my opinion, one of the best ways to do that is to inform them. That’s why I love reporting and covering politics.

  When I’m not working, you will probably see me with my dog Ozzy, consuming an unhealthy amount of coffee or visiting some local bars.

Note: This is a breaking news story and will be updated as new information becomes available.

As chatter grew last week about the likelihood of Joe Biden quitting the race for president, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s name repeatedly cropped up as a likely running mate for Kamala Harris. 

Biden said Sunday he’s dropping his re-election bid. Now that Harris has Biden’s endorsement to be the Democratic nominee, the focus on Shapiro and other possible running mates will certainly intensify. 

Democrat convention delegates will ultimately select the party’s nominee at their convention in Chicago next month. 

The Washington Post reported Saturday that Shapiro is among several potential VP picks being vetted in a process funded by major Democratic donors. Others on the list were Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly.

Shapiro’s key asset could be his potential to help deliver the crucial electoral votes that come from Pennsylvania. 

The 51-year-old Georgetown Law graduate was elected governor in 2022 by almost 15 percentage points over state Sen. Doug Mastriano, a high-profile Donald Trump supporter. Before that, he was the state attorney general and a state representative from Montgomery County, just north of Philadelphia.

He gained national attention following the I-95 overpass collapse in June 2023. The overpass was reopened around two weeks later. 

After the attempted assassination of Trump in Butler County on July 13, Shapiro was again in the spotlight, even gaining praise for his leadership from GOP nominee for U.S. Senate Dave McCormick.

Chris Borick, director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion, said in an interview before Biden quit the race that Shapiro was a “slam dunk” for the Democrats.

“He’s from Pennsylvania, the most coveted swing state,” he said. “He’s very popular here, high approval ratings as governor of the state and seen as a rising star within the [Democratic] party.”

Borick said Shapiro’s Pennsylvania ties give him a competitive edge over Democratic governors such as Beshear and Cooper.

“Kentucky, certainly not a competitive state, North Carolina is fairly competitive, but maybe a little reach for Democrats,” he said. “Pennsylvania is the Holy Grail of electoral politics right now. And to have a popular governor from that state on your ticket would be incredibly coveted.”

Though Shapiro has served only two years as governor, Borick said that might not be as big a weakness as it is for GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance, who has been a U.S. senator for less than two years.

“You can fall back on (Shapiro’s) work as attorney general and make a case that he’s been engaged in lots of these issues for a longer time than less than two years,” he said.

As attorney general, Shapiro inherited an investigation into sexual abuse by members of the Roman Catholic Church. His office released a report alleging more than 1,000 children were molested by more than 300 priests since the 1940s.

Vance has much less political experience. Before he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022, he authored “Hillbilly Elegy” and served four years as a Marine. He also attended Yale Law and worked as an attorney and as a venture capitalist.

Political strategist Samuel Chen of the Liddell Group said last week that Shapiro’s short political tenure could be a problem, though less pronounced than Vance’s.

“Shapiro’s resume is both a strength and a liability when it comes to the electoral side of the issue,” he said.

Chen, whose background includes working for Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey and Republican Gov. Tom Corbett, added that while Shapiro has had moments in the national spotlight, he is still not a household name. That’s a status Vance achieved when “Hillbilly Elegy” became a best-seller and the focus of widespread news coverage as many conservatives connected with its themes.

And voters dismayed by traditional politicians might be drawn to Vance’s lack of elected experience, Chen said.

Borick said a shorter resume might even help since the longer a politician serves, the more blemishes could arise.

As governor-elect, Shapiro received gifts from donors that have come under scrutiny. Chen cited courtside seats to the Philadelphia 76ers as an example.

Shapiro’s campaign called it a “political meeting.”

If Shapiro were to join Harris and win, this would not be the first time a Pennsylvania governor left office to serve in the federal government.

Following the Sept. 11 attacks, Gov. Tom Ridge joined President George W. Bush’s administration as the first secretary of Homeland Security.

If elected, Shapiro would become the highest-ranking Jewish politician in American history. 

Chen said that could help bring in the votes of many Jewish people who felt disaffected by the Democratic party in relation to protests of the war in Israel and Gaza.

If Shapiro were to leave office before his term was up, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis would take the reins.

According to Pennsylvania’s line of succession, Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, a Republican from Westmoreland County, would become lieutenant governor. That would be the first time the state’s second in command was not of the same party as the governor since Joe Scarnati, R-Centre, took over the role following the death of Catherine Baker Knoll in 2008.

Soon after Biden tweeted that he would not accept the Democratic Party’s nomination for a second term, Shapiro tweeted a tribute to the president.

“President Biden is a patriot who has served our country honorably in the Senate, as Vice President, and as one of the most consequential presidents in modern history,” the tweet reads, “President Biden has gotten an incredible amount done to move our country forward, defend our democracy, and protect real freedom. I am proud to work by his side and am grateful for his leadership and his unwavering commitment to delivering for Pennsylvania — the Commonwealth that raised him.”

Shapiro mentioned nothing about his own future.