Josh Shapiro Receives Rare Vice Presidential Endorsement from Philadelphia Democrats

It’s already clear that Philadelphia Democratic Chairman Bob Brady and area Democrats really want Gov. Josh Shapiro to become Kamala Harris’ vice presidential running mate.

And in Tuesday’s vote, the city party officially confirmed this support.

“I’m talking to anyone who will listen,” Brady said. “We’re pushing for him, and we unanimously supported him last night.”

Brady said Harris now has a gigantic choice to make for vice president. Shapiro is one of several candidates being considered.

The city party, as well as the state party, unanimously endorsed Harris on Monday to become the Democratic nominee to face former President Donald Trump in November. All of the state’s Democratic delegates did the same, helping her cross the threshold to become the party’s presumptive nominee.

Given that presidential candidates have long chosen their own vice presidential candidates, it seems unconventional for city Democrats to endorse someone who is not yet in the race.

Sharon Vaughn, the 42nd District leader, was one of three district leaders who supported Brady’s motion to take the extraordinary step of endorsing a vice presidential candidate. She said she was excited to support Harris’ historic candidacy and noted that Shapiro would also make history if she became vice president because he is Jewish. She said she hopes America is ready for that.

“I would like to see that match,” Vaughn said.[Shapiro’s] “I did some really good things in Pennsylvania.”

Shapiro, one of several candidates on the vice presidential shortlist, has neither denied nor confirmed his interest in the job. He said Tuesday that he had not submitted any paperwork for verification.

It is unclear what the timeline for Harris’ vice presidential pick might be, but the DNC announced this week that it intends to complete electronic voting by Aug. 7 to meet voting deadlines in some states. That timeline could force Harris to vet and select a vice presidential candidate within the next 15 days.

The Democratic National Convention will begin on August 19 in Chicago.

“Sooner would be better than later,” Brady said, noting that former President Donald Trump has chosen his vice presidential running mate, Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance. “They have the vice president running the campaign, J.D., P.J., whatever that bearded guy’s name is, so we want Josh to be there, he’s a great campaigner. But it’s Kamala’s choice.”

Shapiro says it’s Harris’ decision

Shapiro, for his part, expressed appreciation for the extraordinary support for his vice presidential candidacy from the Philadelphia Democratic Party but said Harris should not let politics guide her decision.

“The vice president now has a deeply personal decision to make,” Shapiro said at a news conference in western Pennsylvania on Wednesday, repeating what he has been saying for days after President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw. “This is a deeply personal decision that should be made free from any political pressure.”

Asked if his team had received any information aimed at testing him as a potential vice presidential candidate, Shapiro referred questions to the Harris campaign.

The governor said that when he spoke with Harris on Sunday, after Biden announced he was dropping out of the race, she reached out to Shapiro for his endorsement and asked for advice on how to beat Trump in Pennsylvania,

“That’s all we talked about,” he said. “We haven’t talked since.”

Staff writers Fallon Roth and Layla A. Jones contributed to this report.