Who better fits Kamala Harris’ digital prowess: Josh Shapiro or Tim Walz?

When Vice President Kamala Harris unveiled her campaign, she did it with digital prowess, embracing the Charlie XCX “Brat” branding, subtly nodding to the “coconut tree” memes that emerged from one of her speeches, and partnering with pop stars including Megan Thee Stallion, who coined “Hotties for Harris” while performing at a rally.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz are both top contenders for Harris’ coveted running mate spot, and they’ve both formed distinct digital personas on social media, albeit in starkly different ways.

But will their social strategies meld with hers?

Is “everyone’s favorite brother or brother-in-law” — as Kory Aversa, a Philadelphia-based public relations specialist and content creator, calls Shapiro’s brand — a better partner than Walz, who is more like what he calls the “cool uncle”?

Shapiro participates in TikTok trends and has fostered a network of influencers who support him. Walz, who is often described online as having “big dad energy,” has quickly risen to internet stardom after clips of his TV interviews went viral.

“Shapiro’s engagement online is what you would expect from the next generation of party leadership,” said David Karpf, a media and public affairs professor at George Washington University. “He’s engaging with influencers. He’s got a young energy to him.”

“Walz comes across as more established, and he has a folksy charm,” Karpf added.

While Walz may be more old-school, he’s been going viral for taking shots at Republicans in a way that’s “surprisingly charming as hell online,” Karpf said. Walz essentially started a trend himself — or at least a PR strategy — when he called former President Donald Trump and his running mate JD Vance “weird” on TV.

» READ MORE: What’s working for and against Shapiro in the veepstakes

Shapiro has been following trends long before “brat” green was all over our feeds, embracing TikTok while showcasing his work as governor.

Parroting a popular trend, a Shapiro staffer asks viewers to “watch” their boss so we see Shapiro giving orders, taking phone calls, and taking notes. With the “anything can be an album cover” trend, Shapiro appeared on a fake album holding the book Democracy in Retrograde. Other posts following trends or using TikTok sounds show him interacting with constituents and visiting different parts of the state.

He’s formed a web of Pennsylvania-based influencers that he invites to events, and he’s been featured in interviews on content creators’ TikTok pages. He’s also taken that network national, hosting influencers from other states at a “Democracy Summer Camp.”

“Josh Shapiro is actively inviting younger people to be part of Pennsylvania’s conversation,” said Aversa, who has featured Shapiro in his content. “Walz, I think, makes it accessible and the door is open, but I think Josh Shapiro brings that younger crowd through the door a little more aggressively.”

Digital content creators, also known as influencers, have been increasingly seeping into national politics. In June, President Joe Biden’s campaign hired a Philly native as its first-ever influencer manager dedicated to a single battleground state. More than 200 influencers have been issued credentials to attend the DNC later this month, according to The Washington Post, and the RNC issued credentials to more than 70. Although Karpf argues this concept isn’t necessarily new, citing bloggers being invited to the DNC in 2004.

Walz isn’t even on TikTok, but his 23-year-old daughter Hope is, and she keeps him in the know about “brat summer.” Although Walz has garnered attention for clips of things he’s said on TV, he’s also showed a willingness to open up online.

In past years, he’s posted silly videos with Hope, including one that promoted a new hands-free driving law in 2019, and another in September that showed them screaming alongside one another on a thrill ride at the Minnesota State Fair. These videos, like his recent post on X about his dog Tippy’s play date, were posted on his official governor’s office accounts. Politicians often shy away from getting so personal on social media, or they keep those types of posts on a separate account.

He quickly garnered national attention recently for saying on MSNBC’s Morning Joe about Trump and Vance, “These guys are just weird.” Soon, the word “weird” was appearing in Harris campaign emails and all over the internet.

The internet also loved how he addressed Vance’s comment about “childless cat ladies,” saying in another interview: “My God, they went after ‘cat people,’ good luck with that! Turn on the internet and see what cat people do when you go after ‘em.”

Some have posted that they are “Walz-pilled,” a play on the term “coconut-pilled,” which people use to say they support Harris, in reference to the coconut tree memes about her.

“He’s got a persona that people are enjoying playing with,” Karpf said.

While Shapiro’s more calculated social media brand development strategy doesn’t hurt, in Karpf’s eyes, the most important digital strategy for the VP pick will be the ability to produce clever, unscripted soundbites that can go viral in short videos on social media, and be clipped and remixed.

Walz has demonstrated that he can do that while coming across as “authentic enough,” Karpf said.

But Shapiro has also demonstrated that he can play attack dog on his feet, blasting Trump and Vance when talking to reporters this week in Philadelphia. Karpf isn’t doubting that Shapiro could also meet the task — but he’s not seeing the same online fanfare as he’s seeing with Walz.

After all, “Shapiro-pilled” is not a thing. (At least not yet.)

» READ MORE: Josh Shapiro’s rise wasn’t accidental. Just ask those who helped him get here — or felt betrayed along the way