Progressives sound alarm on Shapiro VP talk

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) is facing growing pushback from progressives even as his stock rises in the Harris veepstakes conversation.

They are sounding the alarm on his past position on school vouchers and say that his stance on the Israel-Hamas War could highlight a divide in the Democratic Party that could impact the November election if Vice President Harris chooses him as his running mate.

Democrats who back Shapiro point to his popularity, record of winning statewide, and the overall electoral importance of Pennsylvania, which has 19 electoral votes and is part of the so-called blue wall considered crucial to Democrats.

But that hasn’t stopped progressives from amplifying their criticism of the governor this week. 

One letter signed by nearly 50 progressive leaders pointed to Shapiro’s “shortcomings as a national candidate,” and urged the vice president to consider Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D) and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) instead.

“With the compressed timeline ahead of us to defeat the Trump-Vance-MAGA threat, we simply cannot afford any setbacks,” the letter said. 

A letter from another progressive group, known as “VP Unity,” said Harris’s consideration of Shapiro has “set off alarm bells” among young voters, Muslims, Arab Americans, and activists. 

Some progressive critics of Shapiro say that his response to the pro-Palestine protests in Pennsylvania, which they labeled as “heavy handed” could impact a Harris-Shapiro ticket more negatively than his views on the Israel-Hamas War more generally.

The governor has been a vocal supporter of Israel in the months since the Oct. 7 attacks, but has also been critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his handling of the war and humanitarian crisis in Gaza. 

Shapiro allies are pushing back.

“Throughout his entire career and particularly over the last several months, Governor Shapiro – who enjoys a close personal relationship with Muslim-American, Arab-American, Palestinian Christian, and Jewish community leaders – has brought people together, listened, and worked with them to try and keep our communities safe and heard,” Shapiro’s spokesperson Manuel Bonder told The Hill. 

Other Democrats are accusing progressives of dividing the Democratic coalition, taking particular issue with Shapiro, who is Jewish, taking the brunt of the criticism over Israel. 

They say Shapiro is plenty progressive on myriad other items and that any concerns wouldn’t stop Democrats from voting for Harris over former President Trump.

“[Pennsylvania voters] like the fact that he’s extremely competent. He gets things done and gets them done the right way,” former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) said in an interview. “They believe that he is someone who would understand his role as vice president and be tremendously supportive to the president.”

“I think he would be an asset to the ticket. He would make a difference here in Pennsylvania,” Rendell continued, saying it would be a “calculated risk” for the Harris campaign to go in a different direction running mate wise. “I’m not sure that we’re not going to do well enough here when it’s all said and done that we need him to be on the ticket to win. We might, and that’s a consideration for the Harris team.”

Another issue for which Shapiro has faced criticism is his past support for a Republican-led effort to deliver $100 million in school vouchers to families for private school tuition. Shapiro later backed off of the effort, but some Democrats say it could come back to haunt him. 

In response, Shapiro’s allies point to recent support he received from teachers unions. Over 50 local labor unions, including the American Federation of Teachers and the Pennsylvania State Education Association, signed onto a letter endorsing Shapiro over the weekend. Shapiro’s team also pointed to his work to increase public education funding while working with a divided legislature. 

On top of the criticism Shapiro has received from progressives on the two policy issues, a scandal involving a Shapiro aide who abruptly resigned last year amid sexual harassment allegations has resurfaced. Erin McClelland, a Democratic candidate for state treasurer alluded to a number of criticisms of Shapiro in a tweet earlier this week, saying she wanted a vice presidential candidate “who doesn’t sweep sexual harassment under the rug.” 

And outside progressive circles, some Pennsylvania Democrats worry that Shapiro hasn’t faced down enough political fights in his own career to be effective against attacks from national Republicans.

“He’s never been hit,” one Pennsylvania Democratic operative said, noting that outside of his successful 2016 run for attorney general, he has faced a dearth of tough electoral challenges, headlined by his landslide gubernatorial victory over state Sen. Doug Mastriano (R), a Trump-backed election denier who was widely seen as not competitive. 

However, the same operative was quick to argue that Shapiro is in many ways straight out of central casting for the role of vice president.

“Josh is always on message,” the operative said, adding that it extends into his image and pointing to him wearing a polo with the seal of the commonwealth when he isn’t in a suit. “Very articulate, very polished, very manicured and well-scripted. He suits that kind of position.”

And the operative said that the concerns of progressives are exactly why Harris, an inside-the-beltway candidate from California, would benefit from having Shapiro on the ticket.

“You need someone to go to State College or southwest Pennsylvania. You need someone to show up and go there. He helps there,” they said, adding that it would supplement Harris’s ability to rally support in Philadelphia, the longtime Democratic bastion that has fueled their past wins. “The shit that doesn't do him any good with progressives is exactly what you want him talking about in southwest Pa., or Michigan.”

Speculation hit overdrive in recent days that Shapiro could be the choice after news emerged that Harris will appear in Philadelphia with her running mate for their first joint rally on Tuesday a day after she is expected to announce her choice. 

Some Republicans would be shocked and baffled if Harris doesn’t go with Shapiro. One GOP strategist with Pennsylvania ties noted that Shapiro’s approval numbers are easily the highest of any Democratic governor in recent history. A Fox News poll released last week showed Shapiro with a 61 percent approval rating. 

According to Franklin & Marshall College’s poll released in April, 54 percent of registered voters said that he was doing a “good” or “excellent” job — the highest approval rating for a Pennsylvania governor at this point in their first term since Tom Ridge (R) in 1996. 

“He’s good on TV, has a decent political base in a place that matters and can raise money. The only reason you wouldn't pick him is the one policy difference or it’s a personality clash,” one GOP operative with Pennsylvania ties told The Hill. “If you look on paper, if she isn't picking Josh Shapiro then something went wrong.” 

“Why wouldn't you pick him? I haven't heard a good argument for someone else,” they said.