CHICAGO — Former President Donald Trump rarely mentioned Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro by name during the 2024 election cycle, but in social media post Late Wednesday night, he referred to him as “the highly regarded Jewish governor of the Greater Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro.”
This snide comment came after Shapiro made a statement a tiny but energetic speech at the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday night, calling on Democrats to fight for basic freedoms.
“It’s not freedom to tell our children what books they can read. It’s not freedom to tell women what they can do with their bodies,” Shapiro said at the DNC. “And it’s certainly not freedom to say you can go vote, but he gets to pick the winner. That’s not freedom.”
Pennsylvania Gov. Shapiro Energizes DNC with Call for ‘Freedom’
Trump called Shapiro’s remarks “a really bad and poorly delivered speech about freedom and fighting for the presidency of Comrade Kamala Harris” and called himself “the best friend that Israel and the Jewish people have ever had.”
Shapiro responded Thursday. “I think it’s clear that Donald Trump has been fascinated by me and obsessed with me over the last few years to continue to spread hatred and division in our politics,” the governor said in video statement“This is someone who regularly spreads anti-Semitic tropes like this.”
Shapiro noted that Trump endorsed his 2022 gubernatorial opponent, state Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-Franklin). Shapiro defeated Mastriano in that election by 15 percentage points.
“[Trump] “He lost in 2020, all of his chosen candidates lost, and I think he’s headed for another loss, this time to Kamala Harris,” Shapiro said Thursday.
Shapiro was a finalist to be Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, and at an Aug. 17 campaign rally in Wilkes-Barre, Trump argued that he was not selected because of his Jewish heritage. Shapiro and Harris’ campaign have vehemently denied the claim.
Trump rallies in Wilkes-Barre, criticizes Harris, Biden over economy
“It’s clear he’s going to continue to be the same hateful, divisive person he’s always been in this campaign,” Shapiro said Thursday. “And I think given his past, it’s clear he’s setting himself up for another defeat.”
Democrats wrap up their 2024 convention Thursday night. Throughout the week, the Trump campaign has offered counterprogramming in swing states, including Pennsylvania, which ends in Arizona with a visit to the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday.
