Could Josh Shapiro become the Democrats’ pick for vice president?

Top Democrats in Pennsylvania are pushing for Gov. Josh Shapiro to be the running mate for Vice President Kamala Harris now that President Joe Biden has dropped out of the race.

Shapiro, 51, is a first-term Democratic governor in a critical battleground state that has become key to Democratic victory in November. The former state attorney general and Abington native is a polished communicator who has built up a political brand of bipartisanship and has earned praise from within his own party, as well as from some Republicans. And he’s long been rumored to have national political ambitions.

Shapiro is Pennsylvania’s most popular first-term governor in more than 20 years, according to recent polls, which also show that he has appeal among former President Donald Trump’s voters. However, there are limitations to how much a vice presidential candidate can sway voters — and some question whether he’d be the best person to balance out the Democratic ticket.

Shapiro endorsed Harris for president in a statement Sunday and said he’s spoken to both Biden and Harris about the campaign shake-up. While he hasn’t acknowledged having any vice presidential ambitions, several top Democratic insiders, delegates and fundraisers said they will go to the mat for Shapiro to be the VP pick because they’re optimistic he could help defeat Trump in Pennsylvania.

Philadelphia Democratic Party chairman Bob Brady said Shapiro is on the short list — and he’ll be advocating for him to anyone who will listen.

“I am telling them, without question, [Shapiro] would make them proud,” Brady said. “He would do a great job, he would lock in Pennsylvania. He’s a great speaker, and he would be a great addition to the ticket.”

He is one of several people under consideration, according to news reports and conversations with donors and Biden allies. Other politicians top Democrats are considering as a vice presidential pick include North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

Alan Kessler of Philadelphia, a prominent fundraiser for Biden, dismissed the notion that interest in Shapiro could be limited to Pennsylvania, saying he’s heard from national donors who are aware of the state’s importance.

“Look, you see that the battleground map has expanded somewhat in the last few weeks but it begins and ends with Pennsylvania,” Kessler said.

At least two Philly delegates to the Democratic National Committee Convention next month said they’d be advocating for Shapiro as vice president, citing his emphasis on bipartisanship.

The only governor in the country who works with a divided legislature, Shapiro has spent decades building his political profile as a moderate Democrat willing to work across the aisle. He previously served as a state representative and Montgomery County commissioner before ascending to the roles of attorney general and governor.

Shapiro has also attracted positive national attention as governor, most notably for overseeing the quick repairs on Interstate 95 after a portion of the highway collapsed last year in Philadelphia. He stepped into the national spotlight again last week, speaking about the Pennsylvania man who was killed at Trump’s rally in Butler, Pa. And he’s been a key surrogate for Biden and Democrats nationwide.

“I definitely think Vice President Harris should choose Gov. Shapiro,” said House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D., Philadelphia), the top Democrat in the state House. She applauded his leadership securing major investments into public education as part of the latest state budget deal.

McClinton said she thinks putting Shapiro on the ticket with Harris would have a positive down-ballot impact for Democrats, who hold a one-seat majority in the state House that they are hoping to expand it in November.

Shapiro has also had some political stumbles. In his first year, he burned some of his Republican allies when he helped design a school voucher program with them, but then decided to veto it, lacking support from Democrats. His top legislative liaison to the state legislature, Mike Vereb, resigned last year, following the circulation of a sexual harassment complaint against him. Vereb, a former Republican state representative and longtime Shapiro ally, was allowed to stay in the job for several months until he resigned. Shapiro’s office settled with Vereb’s accuser for $295,000.

“He’s obviously really good at public relations and he is as politically ambitious as anybody I’ve ever seen, but his record is tarnished,” said Charlie Gerow, a Republican consultant.

Shapiro is Pennsylvania’s third Jewish governor, and has been a staunch supporter of Israel and a leading voice condemning antisemitism since Israel’s war with Gaza began last fall.

His outspoken support for Israel could be seen as both a pro and a con to those vetting vice presidential candidates. The United States has never had a Jewish president or vice president, and Democrats need to work to motivate Democratic voters who had been critical of the Biden-Harris administration’s position on the war in Gaza.

Shapiro could continue as Pennsylvania’s governor while running on the top of the ticket, if he is chosen. He would not have to resign unless he is elected, after which Lt. Gov. Austin Davis would take his place.

Speculation surrounding Shapiro started after Biden’s disastrous debate performance last month, when he was named as a potential candidate to replace the president on the ticket in November. Shapiro was included in polls as an option for the top of the ticket, and more recently, as a running mate alongside Harris.

He closed the door on any presidential nominee speculation with his endorsement of Harris.

Shapiro, who is widely known to have national political ambitions, offered no indication in recent weeks that he was entertaining the rumors and had doubled down on his support of Biden as the nominee.

Harris and Shapiro have some commonalities. They were often on the trail together in hugely consequential Pennsylvania in both 2020 and 2024, including as recently as last week, when they visited Reading Terminal Market together to campaign for Biden.

Both are former prosecutors, and one of Harris’s former top staff members, Erin Wilson, is a Pennsylvania native who worked at both the state party and for Sen. Bob Casey.

In his endorsement of Harris, Shapiro noted their similar political paths.

”I’ve known Kamala Harris for nearly two decades — we’ve both been prosecutors, we’ve both stood up for the rule of law, we’ve both fought for the people and delivered results,” Shapiro said in a statement. “Kamala Harris is a patriot worthy of our support.”

Democratic strategist Sean Coit, who formerly worked for Sen. Chris Coons (D. Del.), a longtime ally of Biden, said Shapiro’s commanding win in Pennsylvania in 2022 and his ability to speak forcefully about the economy and protecting democracy make him the best option.

“He’s also someone who Democrats in D.C. and donors around the country have viewed as a future president for years now,” Coit said. “Plus a former prosecutor and a former Attorney General strikes me as a good ticket when the competition is a convicted felon.”

Berwood Yost, who leads Franklin and Marshall College’s poll, said Shapiro would be a natural fit for the job. Harris is perceived to be more progressive, he said, while Shapiro is seen as a moderate and is popular in a critical battleground state.

“He would be among a number of ideal candidates,” Yost said. “Why he would want the job? I don’t know.”

Shapiro said in a statement Sunday he will “do everything I can to help elect Kamala Harris.”

But it was not clear whether he is advocating behind the scenes to be Harris’s running mate — or if he’s just watching the buzz around the possibility.

Shapiro, a father of four, is known to be a methodical politician and entering this unprecedented cycle would mean running with the shortest window in presidential election history. Joining the ticket and losing could tarnish his chances looking ahead to 2028. But a win puts him second in line for the presidency.

McClinton said she spoke with Shapiro about her support for him as a vice presidential pick, but declined to elaborate on their conversation.

“I’m sure he would want it,” Brady, the city party chair, said, adding he had not spoken to Shapiro directly on the matter. “Why would you deny being the vice president?”