Gov. Josh Shapiro’s work in Pennsylvania doesn’t end after his national event

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro didn’t get the job, but the last three weeks have been quite the resume boost.

Shapiro, already a national figure, rose through the ranks to become Kamala Harris’ leading vice presidential candidate.

Although the process included public vetting of Montgomery County Democrats positions and the expressions of dissatisfaction by his critics, the news cycle focused largely on his robust position in a key swing state and his unbroken record of winning elections, which those following his development said was a positive factor for his political ratings.

“Josh was just fantastic, from day one after President Biden decided not to run, until [Tuesday] night. He was almost flawless,” said former Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell. “I think he covered himself in glory.”

Even in defeat, Shapiro delivered a performance worthy of a Hollywood script, and his hometown arena of more than 10,000 people gave him a two-minute standing ovation Tuesday when he politely — and firmly — took the stage to praise Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

“I will work hard to make sure Kamala Harris and Tim Walz are the next leaders of the United States of America,” he said.

He did so again Wednesday in a speech to reporters, beginning it by promoting Walz as “the right man for the job.”

Now, Shapiro’s path could go in a few directions. If Harris loses the presidential election in November, he’s almost certain to be a primary candidate in 2028. If he wins, he’ll have to wait longer, but he’ll be just 58 years old by the time the 2032 primary rolls around. That’s a year younger than Harris.

He could run for re-election along the way, and some have speculated he will join Harris’ Cabinet — though he ruled out the latter possibility on Wednesday.

” READ MORE: Gov. Josh Shapiro delivers rousing speech on home turf after being passed over for vice president

In the near future, Shapiro will have a chance to showcase his rousing speaking style at the Democratic National Convention later this month, he confirmed Wednesday. He will continue to be the party’s go-to guy for fundraising and surrogacy.

“It’s undeniable that he’s coming out of the selection process much stronger than he was when he started,” said JJ Balaban, a Democratic strategist in Philadelphia. “He now has a national brand as an incredibly popular governor and a moderate Democrat in the largest swing state in the country. That’s a good brand.”

Shapiro “is not number 2”

There were early signs that Shapiro might not be the best candidate for the No. 2 job, which also played into his interview and vetting process, according to people familiar with the process. The omission alone could have tarnished his reputation, but losing in part because he came across as ambitious isn’t necessarily a bad thing if your ultimate goal is to run for president.

In an interview with Harris’ team, Shapiro fielded a lot of questions about the role. “He was kind of trying to interview her,” said one person familiar with the process and Harris’ team’s reaction.

“He’s not a No. 2,” the person said. “He just wasn’t right for the job.”

But those who know Shapiro say his thoughtfulness is also what has made him an effective leader. He is methodical.

“If you’re going to be doing something for four years, potentially eight years, it’s reasonable to ask questions about what that looks like,” said a person familiar with the conversation. “People who know him and respect him and appreciate his leadership are because he thinks about those things.”

After the interview on Sunday, Shapiro also called Harris’ campaign, admitting that he was struggling with the idea of ​​resigning as governor of the state — although he did not rule himself out of the running, said a person familiar with the verification process.

Shapiro has long acknowledged that he is increasingly leaning toward executive roles, twice degenerating to run for Congress.

“I wanted to be a principal. I wanted to serve my community,” Shapiro said last week.

That same Wednesday, he told reporters outside a Camp Hill coffee shop that he loved being governor and deciding his own destiny.

“I love what I do,” Shapiro said. “I love that I get to do it on my terms.”

Alan Kessler, a prominent fundraiser for Harris in Pennsylvania, said national and state donors have expressed disappointment that Shapiro was not elected, as well as some concerns about Walz’s ability to win the state election.

However, his absence from the candidate list means Shapiro will be able to devote more time to campaigning in Pennsylvania.

“This has to be the worst-case scenario for Pennsylvania Republicans,” said Democratic strategist JJ Abbott. “We will keep our relatively new but incredibly popular and effective Democratic governor, who can now devote his full energy to Pennsylvania.”

When the Democratic government has defenders from the Republican Party

Shapiro is also riding a wave of support from Republicans in the state who have criticized Harris for not picking him. Some of that backlash stems from the GOP’s attempt to portray Harris’ omission of Shapiro, who is Jewish, as anti-Semitic.

“It’s hard to imagine” [Shapiro’s] robust stance on Israel [and] “His Jewish background had no bearing on his decision whatsoever,” said Dave McCormick, Republican candidate for U.S. Senate, published on X.

Democrats and many of Shapiro’s allies have pushed back against that narrative, citing reports that Harris chose Walz because she saw him as a good governing partner and someone who could appeal to Midwesterners.

Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, is Jewish, a fact sometimes overlooked by those suspected of anti-Semitism.

“I absolutely cannot fathom a universe in which Vice President Harris, who is married to a Jew, would decide not to select Josh Shapiro as her running mate because Josh is Jewish,” said Shapiro’s rabbi, David Glanzberg-Krainin of Beth Sholom Synagogue in Elkins Park. “There is simply no world in which I could imagine that being possible.”

Regardless, the network The upshot of that choice is that many Republicans are defending Shapiro and describing his centrist views as aligned with those of Pennsylvania voters — a message that could bolster Shapiro’s standing in the 2026 midterm elections.

“Pennsylvania voters are going to see their governor passed over for someone who doesn’t share” their moderate views, said Pat Poprik, chairman of the Bucks County Republican Party.

” READ MORE: Pennsylvania Republicans Want to Send Kamala Harris a Thank You Card After She Rejects Josh Shapiro

But Shapiro is returning to a divided state legislature — the only one in the nation — where he has faced hostility from GOP Senate leaders, including President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R., Westmoreland). Ward publicly criticized Shapiro during the vice presidential election process for his office’s handling of a sexual harassment complaint against a former aide.

Shapiro already spoke Wednesday about where he might compromise with Republicans to “get things done” — his administration’s motto. He is poised to turn to public transportation funding that was left unfinished in last month’s $47.6 billion budget, potentially through a deal to regulate arcade games.

Will the opposition hold out?

With no Democratic primary, Shapiro led an intense public vetting of candidates that included some slights from members of his own party.

The opposition against him – some of them Supposedly promoted by Republicans feared he would get the job — led mostly by progressives who disagreed with his statements about protests against the war in Gaza and his support for vouchers for private schools.

Abbott said the opposition from the left is unlikely to stick with Shapiro and that the governor has shown he can build coalitions that include groups that have sometimes disagreed with him. He said the takeaway for most people will be that Shapiro was a serious vice presidential candidate “and she just picked someone else.”

And then there is the long-standing tension with U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), whose staff reportedly warned Harris’ team about Shapiro in recent days.

On Wednesday, Shapiro waived his right to respond.

“I’ve never played small ball my whole career,” he said. “I’m certainly not going to start now.”

Article co-authored by Fallon Roth.