Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has been gaining attention in the political world for taking on Republicans on major issues such as abortion access and immigration.
And now he could be bringing his political skills to the White House with sources telling ABC News that Shapiro is a front-runner to become Kamala Harris’ running mate.
Shapiro, 51, was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and raised in Dresher, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of Rochester in 1995.
In this Nov. 6, 2022 file photo, Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks during a campaign rally with Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Lt. Gov. John Fetterman in Newtown, Pa.
Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images, FILE
Shapiro spent years on Capitol Hill working for several Democratic members of Congress, including Sens. Carl Levin and Robert Torricelli. During that time, Shapiro earned a law degree from Georgetown University in 2002.
In 2004, he won election for the 153rd district in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and was reelected three times. In 2011, Shapiro was elected to the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners and remained on the board for five years.
In 2016, Shapiro was elected Pennsylvania’s attorney general. He was reelected in 2020 with over 3.4 million votes.
During his tenure, Shapiro took on high-profile cases, including investigations into alleged sex abuse in the Catholic Church and probes of pharmaceutical companies over the opioid crisis.
Shapiro also pushed back against former President Donald Trump’s conservative policies, including the proposed travel ban from citizens of Muslim-majority countries. Following the 2020 election, then-Attorney General Shapiro fought against several lawsuits that were filed contesting the results.
Two years ago, Shapiro ran for Pennsylvania governor and beat Republican challenger Doug Mastriano by more than 792,000 votes.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro react during a visit to the Reading Terminal Market, July 13, 2024, in Philadelphia.
Kevin Mohatt/Reuters
Shapiro has spoken out against abortion restrictions and pushed policies to expand reproductive rights.
“As governor, I will always uphold our state’s Constitution and protect a woman’s right to make decisions over her own body and have the health care services she needs,” he said in a statement last week following a development in a Pennsylvania-based abortion case.
Shapiro has denied repeated calls from state Republicans to deploy the National Guard in response to the influx of migrants in the state.
“The last thing in the world I’m going to do is put the brave women and men of the Pennsylvania National Guard’s lives at risk to be part of some political squabble at the border that [Texas] Gov. [Greg] Abbott has created,” Shapiro said in March.
Shapiro, who is Jewish, has also expressed his support for Israel in its ongoing conflict against Hamas and called out rising antisemitism in the state and country.
Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro delivers remarks following a briefing on Interstate-95 highway emergency repair and reconstruction efforts, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, June 17, 2023.
Julia Nikhinson/AFP via Getty Images
In December, he criticized then-University of Pennsylvania’s President Liz Magill following a congressional hearing on antisemitism on campuses. Magill did not directly respond to Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik’s questions about whether reportedly antisemitic rhetoric, including calls for “genocide of Jews,” constituted harassment.
“Frankly, I thought her comments were absolutely shameful. It should not be hard to condemn genocide,” Shapiro said on Dec. 6.
Magill resigned five days later.
As the 2024 presidential election approaches, speculation is mounting about potential vice presidential picks for Democratic candidate Kamala Harris. One name that has been gaining traction in political circles is that of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro.
Shapiro, a Democrat, has been serving as the Attorney General of Pennsylvania since 2017 and was elected as the state’s governor in 2022. He has a strong track record of fighting for progressive causes and has been a vocal advocate for criminal justice reform, gun control, and LGBTQ rights.
One of Shapiro’s most notable accomplishments as Attorney General was his successful lawsuit against the Trump administration’s efforts to roll back contraceptive coverage under the Affordable Care Act. He also led the charge in holding pharmaceutical companies accountable for their role in the opioid crisis, securing millions of dollars in settlements for the state of Pennsylvania.
In his role as governor, Shapiro has continued to push for progressive policies, including expanding access to healthcare, investing in education, and combating climate change. He has also been a vocal critic of Republican efforts to restrict voting rights and undermine democracy.
Shapiro’s background as a prosecutor and his experience in state government make him a strong contender for the vice presidential slot. His record of standing up to powerful interests and fighting for the rights of all Americans could help energize the Democratic base and appeal to moderate voters.
However, Shapiro is not without his critics. Some have raised concerns about his handling of certain high-profile cases as Attorney General, and others have questioned his ability to appeal to voters outside of Pennsylvania.
Ultimately, the decision of who to choose as a running mate will be up to Kamala Harris. But with his strong progressive credentials and proven track record of fighting for justice, Josh Shapiro is certainly a name to watch as the 2024 election season heats up.
