Why is Josh Shapiro being criticized so much as a potential Kamala Harris vice presidential candidate?

The fierce battle to become Kamala Harris’ vice presidential running mate is the latest evidence of the deep ideological divisions within the Democratic Party, and no candidate for the nomination has borne the brunt of it as much as Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

For the past two weeks, Shapiro — a moderate with a high approval rating in this key swing state — has been the target of a decentralized opposition campaign, largely led by progressives who disagree with the governor’s statements on the conflict in the Middle East, his support for private school vouchers and his office’s handling of a sexual harassment complaint against a former aide.

At the same time, Shapiro enjoys forceful support from establishment Democrats across the state who have been vocal in their support for his election, and a handful of leading Republicans have said they fear Shapiro the most among the rumored candidates. Some strategists say the scrutiny from the left is strengthening Shapiro’s appeal among moderates.

“Governor Shapiro has faced the most criticism of all the finalists because he is seen as the favorite to win the nomination based on his immense popularity in the state, which is more or less crucial to the vice president’s chances of winning the election,” said Democratic consultant JJ ​​Balaban.

However, Balaban said he doubted criticism was a deciding factor.

“Harris’ campaign will have more impact on Josh’s high poll numbers than on the complaints of some disgruntled people on Twitter,” he added.

” READ MORE: Inside Josh Shapiro’s Undercover Campaign to Win the Democratic Vice Presidential Nomination

The backlash continued Monday, when 22 local progressive and Muslim advocacy groups called on Shapiro to apologize for what they described as “extremely bigoted” language in a 1993 editorial in his college newspaper. In the article, which The Inquirer published Friday, Shapiro, then 20, described Palestinians as “too militant to create their own peaceful homeland.”

On Friday, Shapiro stressed that he was 20 when he wrote the article and said he has supported a two-state solution for years. That did not reassure a coalition of organizations, which said Monday that Shapiro must “rebuild the trust of the Palestinians and the Arabs of Pennsylvania.”

Justin Marshall, lead organizer of IfNotNow Philly, a progressive Jewish group, said the pressure on Shapiro is aimed at creating “the strongest possible coalition we can put together to defeat Donald Trump.”

“If Shapiro is selected for the nomination,” Marshall said, “it will be all the more important for him to apologize expressly for what he wrote.”

Last week, Shapiro came under scrutiny from the National Women’s Defense League over his handling of a sexual harassment complaint against his former legislative liaison last year. renewed attention during his tenure as attorney general, most notably the controversial 2011 case of a Philadelphia teacher whose death from 20 stab wounds was ruled a suicide and later reviewed by his office.

And on the weekend, The Politico website reported that one of the leading Democrats, Comrade Shapiro, in the state — U.S. Sen. John Fetterman — is concerned that Shapiro could be nominated. His aides reportedly told Harris’ team that Shapiro was too focused on advancing his own career and that Fetterman and Shapiro had critical disagreements on criminal justice issues.

Shapiro is considered one of three leading candidates for the vice presidential nomination. Harris is expected to announce her decision before a rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday, which will kick off a multi-state tour with her vice presidential running mate.

” READ MORE: Josh Shapiro Built a Social Media Machine. Can He Get to VP on TikTok?

Last week, Shapiro defended his record, saying, “I recognize that at this moment, and probably every moment of my life, people are judging me from the outside.”

“It’s part of the business,” he said. “I feel most comfortable with any decision I’ve made because it’s always been about service.”

Shapiro faces more criticism than Kelly and Walz

The animosity surrounding Shapiro may be partly because the public has not had a chance to discuss Harris’ nomination after President Joe Biden withdrew from it because of the accelerated timeline, said Berwood Yost, director of the Franklin and Marshall College poll.

“They had to come together quickly,” Yost said. “Is this, in some ways, a proxy for the fight you saw in the primaries?”

Still, two others Harris reportedly grilled on the job issue, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, are considered moderates but haven’t faced as much resistance. Labor leaders have expressed some concerns about Kelly not co-sponsoring pro-union legislation (but said this week he would vote in favor).

And Walz has become a darling of progressives. In Minnesota, his supporters have begun calling the sudden attention he’s getting “Walz-mentum.”

“He’s managed to find the middle ground between being liberal enough for the liberals and moderate enough for the moderates,” said Marty Seifert, a former gubernatorial candidate and Republican lawmaker from southern Minnesota. told the Star-Tribune.

Some have suggested that opposition to Shapiro, particularly over his views on the war in Gaza, is rooted in anti-Semitism. If elected, Shapiro would be the first Jewish vice president. While an outspoken supporter of Israel, he has attacked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and his policy positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are broadly aligned with Kelly and Walz.

State Rep. Mike Schlossberg, a Lehigh County Democrat who is Jewish, said criticizing a Jewish politician or his stance on Israel is not inherently anti-Semitic.

“I think members of the far left are actually endorsing anti-Semitism,” he said, “when they hold Gov. Shapiro to a different standard than non-Jewish candidates.”

Could opposing Shapiro be a positive thing for him?

Political strategists said the focus on Shapiro by left-wing organizations confirms he would be a clever choice. The governor could bring ideological balance to the field, given that Harris is seen as more progressive than Biden and comes from deep-blue California.

Some Republicans, especially in Pennsylvania, said Shapiro’s popularity in Pennsylvania and his reputation as a bipartisan dealmaker could make it harder for former President Donald Trump to win the state. His support for Israel, they said, could appeal to independents and moderates.

Shapiro also gained significant support among party leaders, some supported by his own team.

Top Pennsylvania Democrats lobbied loudly for Shapiro. And after national education groups opposed his support for private school vouchers, Shapiro won the endorsements of 50 Pennsylvania unions, including the state’s two largest teachers unions. Top Shapiro aides asked at least three unions to join the letter.

“Issues that have caused public opposition from various groups [Shapiro] those are the same issues that will make him more appealing to independent voters and those who never supported Trump,” said Larry Ceisler, a longtime ally and public affairs director. “The people who are making the case against him are making, reluctantly, the best case for him.”

National Democrat The strategist, who requested anonymity to avoid public criticism of the candidate, agreed that scrutiny of Shapiro is more intense because he is seen as the favorite. But Harris’ campaign may be thinking about the convention in Chicago later this month and whether tensions over the war in Gaza could spark protests.

Still, the strategist noted that Harris’ campaign was more confident than her 2020 campaign, which was criticized for indecision and trying to please all parties.

“The old Kamala Harris may have fallen victim to this,” the strategist said.

Ultimately, the decision will also depend on personal moods, Balaban said.

“Public criticism is unlikely to play a large role in this decision,” he added, “especially since any rumors about the three Democratic vice presidential primary picks pale in comparison to the barrage of negative attention JD Vance has received since being announced as Trump’s vice presidential nominee.”