A lot of Democrats in Pennsylvania are big fans of Gov. Josh Shapiro — but not all of them want Kamala Harris to make him her vice presidential pick.
Cumberland County couple Candice and David Tritle said they’re happy with their gov where he is, and don’t want Pennsylvania to lose Shapiro to Pennsylvania Avenue.
“We think he’s a great governor and we’d hate to lose him,” Candice Tritle told The Post, adding that both she and David support Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly as Harris’ running mate.
Shapiro elicited strong reactions from young voters like Faith Keyser, who moved to Pennsylvania from California to attend college.
“I watch the news, I hear his name come up, and I’m like, ‘That’s my governor! Right on,” she said, adding that Shapiro isn’t her first choice for Harris’ second-in-command.
She’d rather see Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
“I’m a big fan of Pete and his work,” Keyser said.
Shapiro, 51, is broadly popular in Pennsylvania, but his views on school choice and the Israel-Hamas war have alienated him from many on the left — including the founders of the “No Genocide Josh” campaign, which seeks to discredit the governor for his support of Israel.
Defenders of Shapiro, who is Jewish, say many of the attacks against him are rooted in antisemitism, as other VP short-listers have not been subjected to the same scrutiny for their support of Israel.
.@JoeBiden, @KamalaHarris, every VP candidate, and a wide majority of Democrats support Israel.But for some reason, @JoshShapiroPA’s support is problematic to certain leftists.Such anti-semitism cannot be granted safe haven in any party. Period.
— Dean Phillips (@deanbphillips) August 2, 2024
“For some reason, @JoshShapiroPA’s support is problematic to certain leftists,” Minnesota congressman and Biden primary rival Dean Phillips posted last week on X/Twitter.
“Such anti-semitism cannot be granted safe haven in any party. Period,” Phillips added.
Shapiro’s office has also been hit with a sexual harassment scandal, prompting Pennsylvania Treasurer nominee Erin McClelland to float North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper for VP, before he removed himself from consideration.
Never one to fall in line, Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) reportedly “warned” Harris about the extent of Shapiro’s presidential ambitions — concerns other detractors have shared as well.
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