Gov. Josh Shapiro Campaigns for Kamala Harris with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer

The vice presidential election was held in Montgomery County.

The conversation covering the world of American politics — who Vice President Kamala Harris will choose as her running mate — took place in the Wissahickon High School gym in Ambler On Monday, two popular Democratic governors considered candidates for the position met to make a joint decision.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer spoke to about 1,000 supporters, imploring them to work to deliver the critical battleground state of Pennsylvania to Harris. They cast the race between Harris and former President Donald Trump as a fight for basic freedoms.

For Shapiro, who is the rumored frontrunner for vice president, it was a chance to audition for the position on his home turf. The governor is a Montgomery County native and former county commissioner who lives in Abington.

“It’s not freedom to tell women what they can do with their bodies. That’s not freedom,” Shapiro said. “It’s not freedom to tell people they can go vote, but he’s going to pick the winner. That’s not freedom. And that’s what we have to stop.”

And Whitmer, who was shortlisted as a potential running mate for Harris but has said she wants to stay in Michigan, repeatedly described another Trump term as a “comeback,” echoing what has become a rallying cry for Harris’ campaign. Participants responded: chanting: “We are not coming back.”

“Trump and [his running mate JD] Vance wants us to go back, but we won’t go back,” Whitmer said. “Our answer is hell no.”

It was the first major rally headlined by Shapiro since Harris became the presumptive Democratic nominee following President Joe Biden’s withdrawal from the race.

Neither Shapiro nor Whitmer mentioned an ulterior motive, the fact that both are attracting public attention as potential vice presidential candidates. Harris and that Both were at one time considered potential presidential candidates.

Shapiro, a first-term governor and former state attorney general, has avoided speculation about his potential place on the ticket, even as some reports suggest is one of the main candidates. Despite dozens of Pennsylvania With supporters among Democratic leaders, donors and labor unions, Shapiro has repeatedly declined to confirm whether he is being considered for the role or if he is interested.

Although Whitmer is also being considered as a potential vice presidential candidate alongside Harris, on Monday she silenced some speculation on this subject, telling reporters that she had not been vetted and that she intended to remain in Michigan. She is co-chair of Harris’ campaign.

The governors gushed over each other, with Whitmer calling Shapiro one of her “best friends” and touting his accomplishments as governor, saying he was “another example of Democratic governors who believe in our three-part strategy: Get things done.”

Shapiro, in turn, praised Whitmer, calling her “Big Gretch,” saying that’s what they call her in her home state because she manages to accomplish “great things.”

“She fixed the damn roads in Michigan,” he continued, “turned her legislature from red to blue, and made it her mission to protect women’s reproductive rights across Michigan. And she succeeded.”

Whitmer devoted much of her remarks to criticizing Senator J.D. Vance, Trump’s recently nominated vice presidential nominee, who has come under fire in recent days for comments he made three years ago about the country run by “childless cat people”.

Vance has cited Harris specifically as an example, but in recent days has said Democrats took his words out of context.

Whitmer said Vance “has really made his values ​​clear.”

“He doesn’t see women as equals,” she said. “He doesn’t want everyone to have a seat at the table. He’s afraid of us.”

Shapiro focused on drawing a contrast between Harris and Trump, describing Harris as “pretty damn ready” for the presidency and another Trump term as a return to “chaos.” He mentioned Project 2025 — a plan for a second Trump term developed by conservative groups — and called it “terrible sh—.”

Shapiro, meanwhile, said the Supreme Court, which recently granted Trump broad immunity from criminal charges related to his effort to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, gives Trump greater freedom to advance his agenda.

“He’s dangerous. He’s destructive,” Shapiro said. “And the guardrails are down.”