Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro among leading candidates to be Kamala Harris’ running mate, ABC News reports

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) — Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro seems to be rising as a high choose to be Vice President Kamala Harris’ working mate for the 2024 presidential election.

ABC Information’ Martha Raddatz reported Tuesday morning that whereas the vetting course of is simply beginning, an administration official mentioned that Shapiro and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly are the 2 main candidates.

Sources inform ABC Information that Harris referred to as Shapiro on Sunday after she formally launched her marketing campaign for the presidency.

RELATED: Who might Kamala Harris choose as VP if she wins the Democratic nomination? Checklist of potential candidates

On Monday, Shapiro made his first public look in Pittsburgh at an occasion for the EPA after that telephone name.

“We spoke solely about beating Donald Trump,” the governor famous.

Shapiro repeatedly declined on Monday to say whether or not he would settle for a suggestion to be Harris’ working mate, telling reporters he would “not interact in hypotheticals.”

“This can be a deeply private choice the vp will make. She’s going to make it on her personal timetable and on her personal timeline,” he mentioned.

Kelly is a 60-year-old former astronaut and Navy captain who’s married to former congresswoman Gabby Giffords. He gained his Senate seat in 2022.

RELATED: Who’s Sen. Mark Kelly, a attainable Harris VP choose?

Shapiro has been seen in a variety of tales that made nationwide information prior to now 12 months.

He was lately on the bottom in Butler, Pa., after the assassination try on former President Donald Trump. He was additionally typically on the scene after the I-95 collapse and speedy rebuild on that stretch of street in Philadelphia.

“My primary selection is Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro,” mentioned Rep. Joanna McClinton, (D) Pennsylvania Speaker of the Home. “He’s the one governor proper now that has led a commonwealth with a divided legislature. In every single place else, it is both all Republican or all Democrat — from governor to Home, to meeting, to delegates, to the Senate. He has performed an outstanding job.”

Gov. Shapiro, 51, has additionally been a loyal surrogate for Biden. He has gained three statewide races: two as lawyer common and one as governor. He additionally served as a Montgomery County Commissioner throughout his early days in politics.

“Pa. is de facto the important thing state to this 12 months’s presidential and senatorial election,” Sen. Chris Coons (D – Delaware) famous.

Shapiro says within the meantime, his focus might be on the commonwealth.

What would occur if he’s chosen?

If chosen, Shapiro can be allowed to stay governor whereas working and solely has to surrender the workplace if he wins and is sworn in as vp.

Shapiro issued an announcement Sunday endorsing Harris and saying he would do every part he might to get her elected.
McClinton can be a brilliant delegate and has joined a rising refrain of Democratic leaders backing Shapiro for Harris’ working mate choose.

Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, a co-chair of the Biden-Harris marketing campaign, is one other who’s embracing Shapiro as a possible VP choose.

“I believe he is a succesful, gifted, and an impressive statewide chief and I do hope VP Harris will take into account him,” Coons mentioned.

Different potential candidates

Different potential VP candidates embody Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Illinois Gov. J. B. Pritzker.