PHILADELPHIA- Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro spent the last Sunday before the general election campaigning for Democratic candidates in southeastern Pennsylvania.
“Every day as your governor, I really focus primarily on doing two things. First, we fight for your freedoms, and second, we live by three letters, GSD,” Shapiro said Sunday afternoon at a campaign event for Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential candidate, in Philadelphia. “We focus on getting things done.”
“And I think ultimately this election is now a referendum on two things: which presidential candidate truly stands for our freedoms and which presidential candidate will get things done for all of us,” he added.
Shapiro promoted Harris’ economic agenda, claiming it would strengthen both the middle class and business owners, while also claiming that former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential candidate, would give “his buddies” a tax cut and “frame most of you for this.” peace and makes life tough for us in Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, also at the Philadelphia campaign event, said she was excited about Harris’ “opportunity economy.”
Encouraging support for Harris, Shapiro also singled out President Joe Biden and the Harris administration as partners who will aid make Pennsylvania the “clean energy capital of the world” and highlighted investments made in affordable, high-speed internet.
Shapiro pointed to Harris’ commitment to codify reproductive rights into law, contrasting it with Trump’s record of appointing three Supreme Court justices who helped overturn Roe v. Wade.
As the presidential campaign comes to an end, 7 massive things happened this weekend
Shapiro, who was reportedly shortlisted for vice president after Harris emerged as the front-runner, referred to his long-standing relationship with her, expressing confidence that she was prepared for the top job.
“I’ve known her for 20 years. She and I grew up together in public service,” Shapiro, a former state attorney general, said of Harris, who previously served as California attorney general. “I know what motivates her. “I know what she means when she says, ‘I’m here for the people,’ which is true, whether it’s economic policy or our freedom struggles, she’s true.”
Shapiro cited history in his speech and mentioned that William Penn founded Pennsylvania based on religious tolerance and the promise of social inclusion.
“I’m not sure Penn ever imagined that I would be working at a Black-owned company as a Jewish governor and talking to all of you about an AAPI woman who wants to be president of the United States,” he said to applause. “He would be proud of it.”
While Pennsylvania’s 19-electoral-vote presidential race attracts the most national attention, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey’s (D-Pa.) campaign for a fourth term against Republican challenger Dave McCormick could decide which party has the majority in the chamber in 2025 outside.
On Sunday afternoon, Shapiro joined Casey at a campaign rally in Montgomery County and promoted investments made in Pennsylvania under legislation he supports in the Senate.
“It’s really important that you know about Senator Casey on I-95 when it collapsed and we rebuilt it in 12 days. It was funded 100% by federal dollars that Senator Casey appropriated this year in Pennsylvania,” Shapiro told reporters.
He also said that last year the state repaired more bridges than any other state, expanded affordable high-speed internet and provided neat drinking water are examples of Casey’s work implemented in the state.
“I know it’s hard sometimes. You hear someone cast a vote and you wonder what it’s going to do to your life,” Shapiro said. “It’s a matter of common sense.”
“These guys have had enough,” he added, standing next to Casey and U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-4th District). “We need them here and we desperately need more progress in Pennsylvania, and they are a key reason why we will be able to make it happen.”
Casey’s closest race since winning a U.S. Senate seat was in 2012, when he defeated Republican Tom Smith by nine points. His 2024 race promises to be a close one, with nationwide rankings The Cook Political Report recently moved the race to the “flip” column..
This is the first time Casey has run while Trump is the GOP presidential nominee. He said the fact that Trump is at the top of the field hasn’t changed his race much, but he pointed to another reason why he thinks it’s a close race.
“This race is difficult mainly because it’s not something a presidential candidate or even my opponent has done. It’s a tight race for one reason. You’ve got three super PACs in this state spending a record amount of money kicking me. That’s why it’s close,” he told reporters. “And when you have over $100 million thrown at you, it’s going to be close regardless of who you are.”
Still, Casey and Shapiro expressed optimism about his and Harris’ chances.
“But we will beat these billionaires on Tuesday. “I want to beat these billionaires almost as much as I want to beat McCormick,” Casey said. We will beat them all on Tuesday, but it will be a long night.
“The decision probably won’t be made until the early hours of Wednesday morning, but we will win this race because the stakes for our Commonwealth and our country on rights and fundamental issues are not too high, we will aid the people or they will aid the most powerful people around the world,” Casey added.
“I sense a real push for the vice president,” Shapiro said. “I think it’s exciting to see the crowds that have formed, not only because of the size of the crowd, the size of the crowd, but also their willingness to leave and take action, to go, knock on doors, put a sign on the lawn, talk to their neighbors. I think it’s really, really important to have that momentum down the stretch, and I think she has that.”
Earlier in the day, Shapiro attended a service with first lady Jill Biden. He also visited a restaurant in Northeast Philadelphia to campaign for state Sen. Jimmy Dillon (D-5th District) and House candidate Sean Dougherty. Both seats are currently held by Democrats in a part of town where Republicans want to gain.
Responding to a question about why he chose specific areas to campaign today, Shapiro said you shouldn’t “read too much into it,” saying he campaigned statewide and across the country in “those races that matter most.”
“I wanted to make sure I was in Northeast Philadelphia today because I need Sean Dougherty in the House of Representatives,” Shapiro said. “Remember that I have a one-seat majority in the House and we managed to get all these things done with one seat. I think Sean’s race will be really crucial.”
“I think Northeast Philadelphia is a key location for Kamala Harris and Sen. Casey,” he added.
The In June, the Trump campaign opened its first campaign office in Pennsylvania, in Northeast Philadelphialess than 5 miles from the restaurant where Shapiro campaigned on Sunday.
Both Republican Party presidential candidates campaigned in Pennsylvania on Sunday. Trump led a rally in Lancaster County and Vance held a rally in Delaware County.
Both presidential candidates are scheduled to arrive in Pennsylvania on the last day before the presidential election. Harris will hold rallies in Allentown, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Trump will rally supporters in Reading, and Pittsburgh and Vance will be in Bucks County.
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