Pennsylvania’s Democratic Party is likely to vote to oppose vouchers Josh Shapiro supported

Gov. Josh Shapiro is wrapping up his first year in office and two things are clear: He’s skilled at scoring political wins that gain national attention. And his own political party is not shy about handing him a loss.

The Democratic State Committee is expected to vote — and likely approve — a resolution “in opposition to private school vouchers” during a party meeting in Harrisburg this weekend.

That topic was a quagmire for Shapiro, who worked with the Republican-controlled state Senate this year on legislation to expand school vouchers, which allow public money to pay for private school tuition.

The Democrats who control the state House balked, leaving Republicans crying double-cross when Shapiro line-item vetoed the vouchers from the budget in August.

Shapiro signed legislation Wednesday expanding a tax-credit scholarship program, and still wants to explore vouchers. Now his own political party is likely to send a clear message: We’re not with you on this.

It could have been worse.

The original resolution, pushed during a party meeting in September, said “Shapiro made the case for this harmful legislation recently on Fox News” and that “school voucher policies are widely supported by the political opponents” of the Democratic Party.

The sponsors, Armstrong County Democratic Party chair Chuck Pascal and Delaware County State Committee member Colleen Kennedy, deleted the shots at Shapiro while streamlining the document.

Still, anyone familiar with the voucher brouhaha can see the revised resolution as a dig at Shapiro. Just ask Pascal.

“Given the context — we have a Democratic governor supporting a voucher scheme that in every other state is something Democrats clearly oppose — it’s important that the Democratic Party in Pennsylvania stand up and say we’re opposed to using public funds to fund private schools,” Pascal told Clout.

Kennedy said removing Shapiro’s name from the resolution doesn’t change the point: The party should oppose vouchers even — and maybe especially — if Shapiro backs them.

“The purpose of this was not to yell at the governor,” Kennedy added.

The Democratic State Committee handed Shapiro his only loss of 2022, when he was running for governor. They raucously rejected Shapiro’s pick to chair the Democratic Party, selecting instead State Sen. Sharif Street of Philadelphia.

Street voted against the vouchers in the Senate in June but as chair has stressed party unity since defeating Shapiro’s candidate. He did not respond when Clout came calling about the anti-voucher resolution.

A spokesperson for Shapiro declined to comment.

The Democratic State Committee will also vote Saturday on whether to endorse candidates for “row offices” — Pennsylvania’s treasurer, auditor general, and attorney general.

Clout hears the party will likely endorse State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta of Philadelphia for auditor general and may also back State Rep. Ryan Bizzarro of Erie County for treasurer.

In the five-candidate primary for attorney general, the party is expected to make no endorsement. Candidates need support from two-thirds of the voting state committee members. That’s a tough target with five qualified candidates splitting the vote.

Kenyatta, who announced his bid for auditor general in March, faces State Rep. Mark Rozzi of Berks County and Lehigh County Controller Mark Pinsley.

He has already stacked up a pile of endorsements as he seeks to challenge Republican one-term incumbent Tim DeFoor of Dauphin County.

And he got a shout-out from Shapiro, who called him “representative and soon-to-be general Malcolm Kenyatta” during a Philly fundraiser Monday for President Joe Biden.

Pinsley, who entered the race just before Thanksgiving, acknowledges that Kenyatta has plenty of backing and hopes to make the primary about qualifications for the job. Rozzi did not respond to requests for comment.

For treasurer, Bizzarro’s chances for an endorsement were boosted by former Philadelphia City Controller Alan Butkovitz withdrawing from the primary this week after suffering a heart attack last month.

“I’d like to think I have the leg up, based on the amount of votes I have committed,” said Bizzarro, who wants the nomination to challenge one-term Republican Stacy Garrity.

Bizzarro is competing with Erin McClelland, who ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 2014 and 2016 in Allegheny County. She cautioned that the party might endorse no women for statewide office next year.

“I’m running against the machine and that’s nothing new to me,” McClelland said.

For attorney general, the Democratic contenders are Philadelphia State Rep. Jared Solomon, former Bucks County Solicitor Joe Khan, former Auditor General Eugene DePasquale, former Philadelphia top public defender Keir Bradford-Grey, and Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer.

“We have five candidates and you need two-thirds [support] so it’s a tough hill to climb,” DePasquale said.

As Clout predicted two weeks ago, the Republican State Committee announced Monday that it will hold a virtual meeting on Jan. 22 to endorse a candidate for attorney general.

York County District Attorney Dave Sunday appears to be the front-runner.

Former Delaware County District Attorney Kat Copeland told Clout she would drop out of the primary if she does not win the endorsement.

State Rep. Craig Williams, who represents parts of Delaware and Chester Counties, said he is “unlikely” to remain in the race without the endorsement.

Staff writers Julia Terruso and Gillian McGoldrick contributed to this column.

Clout provides often irreverent news and analysis about people, power, and politics.