Some Pa. progressives are lukewarm about Shapiro as V.P.

With Kamala Harris suddenly in place as the presumptive Democratic nominee for U.S. President, the veepstakes are on. Many have suggested that Harris pick a white man for Vice President. Others see a need for swing-state representation to help sway the Electoral College. Most agree Harris’ V.P. should have some governing experience.

Some Pennsylvania voters think current Gov. Josh Shapiro combines all three. Following Axios’ scoop that the next V.P. will be a governor, Philly journalist Ernest Owens also reported that he's first on Harris’ list. It seems a Harris-Shapiro ticket announcement may only be awaiting a cash injection from deep-pocketed donors.

Still, Pittsburgh City Paper spoke with several voters and political insiders on and off the record who say, in so many words, “not so fast.”

There are a few reasons for this hesitation. Chief among them may be Shapiro’s relatively tough stance against student protests for peace in Gaza. There’s also Shapiro’s recent support of a charter-school bill, which state Democrats eventually jawboned him into vetoing. Others worry about past scandals or simply feel Shapiro is too moderate, fearing that his presence on the ticket could smother progressive enthusiasm for Harris.

(Pittsburgh City Paper reached out to Shapiro's team for comment but while receipt was confirmed, did not receive further response by press time.)

Jodi Hirsh, a communications consultant with experience working for advocacy groups such as Planned Parenthood, is one such voter.

“We finally have some folks on the left who were completely disengaged and disaffected as this genocide, unfortunately, drags on with Biden, and you've got a chunk of those folks back in the fold,” Hirsh says. “I don't know why you would risk pushing them right back out a couple of weeks later.”

A quick scan of Twitter shows both sides of the Shapiro-as-Veep coin. Some call him an “obvious pick” who’s “wildly popular.” Others see a milquetoast presence who hasn’t been really tested and faced an easily beatable opponent in 2022 in Doug Mastriano. Israel supporters also see antisemitism in criticism of Shapiro’s actions around Gaza, although at least one Jewish writer worries these same positions could once again “fracture the party” if Harris opts for Shapiro.

Shapiro is relatively popular here in Pa. He beat Mastriano by nearly 15 points in 2022, and current polls show him sitting at a 49% approval and 31% disapproval rating, with even some Trump voters voicing support. Republicans also see him as a strong opponent.

At the same time, an anonymous former staffer who apparently worked under Shapiro as Pa.’s attorney general described themself on Twitter as “confused” by how hard some had been pushing the Governor as a V.P. candidate. “He has no federal experience,” this staffer wrote, “and his take on Gaza/the way he stood so hard for Biden after the debate is frankly comical.” In another screenshot, an anonymous Philly politico said Shapiro flip-flops as is expedient and “leaves a wake of people who hate him.”

Hirsh, who went to college with Shapiro (she says they weren’t close), agrees. “What he has done since taking office, particularly around Gaza and … wanting public funding for charter schools is the opposite of the direction we should be going in,” she says. Hirsh also says Shapiro’s swing-state bona fides may be oversold. “I have never seen any data that backs up the idea that it actually is meaningfully helpful to have someone from a swing state be on the ticket.”

Former Allegheny County Council candidate Carlos Thomas sees similar liabilities. “I’ve watched and notice how much of a law and order person he is. Our state police budget gets increases while our education system is still struggling,” Thomas tells City Paper via direct message. “In addition to that yes he has ignored the people’s constitutional right to assemble about issues regarding the genocide.”

Voter Chase, who did not provide a last name but says they went to the same high school as Shapiro, has similar concerns, “find[ing] his comments on protesters and his view on vouchers disqualifying.” Adds Chase, “I think Kamala should pick someone not as outspoken in their support for Israel.”

Another Twitter user also reached out to tell CP Shapiro “seems lame.”

Shapiro’s office also settled a sexual harassment lawsuit against staffer Mike Vereb (a Republican) late last year for $295,000 in taxpayer money. Though Shapiro was in no way directly implicated in the lawsuit, some on social media cited it and Shapiro’s closeness with Vereb as a further liability should he seek higher office.

Regardless of whether it’s Shapiro or someone else, Democrats clearly sense an opening — the Republican pick for V.P., Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, has been buffeted by the resurfacing of old interviews, poorly thought-out tweets, and spurious allegations that he wrote about having sex with a couch in his bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy.

Thomas “would not like to see another cis white male” in the role. Hirsh hopes the Dems pick a Veep who can capitalize on Vance’s misfires and Republican candidate Donald Trump’s many liabilities. She favors someone like Sec. of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, Mich. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, or Minn. Gov. Tim Walz in the role.

“My baseline measurement is going to be how they communicate,” Hirsh says. She wants someone who can “talk across tribe” and remind voters why this year’s election matters. “It is much more important in a 100-day campaign that you have someone who has national name recognition and can really get people fired up.”

“I understand we have to win Pennsylvania,” she adds. “[But] I don't think you need the Governor of Pennsylvania on a ticket in order to do that.”