Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) is emerging as a prominent contender to join Vice President Kamala Harris on the Democratic presidential lineup this November.
President Joe Biden’s decision to drop his reelection campaign and endorse Harris has sparked immediate speculation about who might join her as a running mate should she secure the nomination, and Shapiro is already a favorite.
Career
Shapiro has served as the 48th governor of Pennsylvania since 2023.
Given he still has plenty of time remaining in his term as governor, this could potentially hinder his ability to join Harris on the ticket or pursue a candidacy of his own.
From 2017 to 2023, he served as the Pennsylvania’s 50th attorney general.
In 2012, he was elected as a member of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners.
After graduating from the University of Rochester and obtaining his juris doctor degree from Georgetown University, Shapiro began his career as a legislative assistant to former Michigan Sen. Carl Levin.
He later served as a senior adviser to former Florida Rep. Peter Deutsch and former New Jersey Sen. Robert Torricelli.
From 1999 to 2003, he worked as chief of staff to then-Rep. Joe Hoeffel.
In 2004, Shapiro was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 153rd District.
Age
Shapiro was born on June 20, 1973. He is 51 years old.
Family
Shapiro was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and raised in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
His father served as a medical officer in the Navy, and his mother, Judi, is a teacher.
He married his wife, Lori Shapiro, in 1997. She previously served in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy during the Clinton administration.
Currently, she serves as the honorary chairwoman of the Pennsylvania Breast Cancer Coalition and is a board member of the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Shapiro and his wife have four children: three school-age sons, Ruben, Max, and Jonah, and an eldest daughter, Sophia, who attended the University of Pittsburgh.
Religion
Shapiro has described himself as a conservative Jew.
If appointed, he would become the first Jewish candidate for vice president since Joe Lieberman’s unsuccessful bid with Democratic nominee Al Gore in 2000.
Major policy initiatives
Pennsylvania is a crucial swing state to a potential Democratic victory in November, and Shapiro has already endorsed Harris, possibly setting him up to be the key ally she needs.
One of his most significant initiatives has been his push to advance clean energy in Pennsylvania.
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He has proposed measures to cap greenhouse gas emissions from major polluters, redirect revenues to consumers, and increase the state’s reliance on solar, wind, and other renewable sources.
However, his efforts to promote green energy in a state heavily dependent on fossil fuels present him with a challenge — that his climate change initiatives do not diminish his support for labor unions.
