Who is Josh Shapiro? Get to know the Pennsylvania governor and potential Harris VP pick
Vice President Kamala Harris has yet to select a running mate for her 2024 presidential campaign, but according to the campaign, she’s scheduled to visit several swing states next week with her vice presidential pick, meaning that a decision and announcement is near.
Once selected, the Democratic duo plans to visit Philadelphia, western Wisconsin, Detroit, Raleigh, N.C., Savannah, Ga., Phoenix, and Los Vegas, according to the campaign.
Based on prior reporting by USA TODAY, the first stop will be Tuesday in Philadelphia, but does that mean Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is the chosen one? While the Keystone State is necessary for Harris, the campaign aide downplayed connecting the dots.
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Where is Josh Shapiro from?
Shapiro was born in Kansas City, MO, and raised in Montgomery County, PA. His mother, Judi, is a teacher, and his father, Steven, is a pediatrician.
How old is Josh Shapiro?
Shapiro is 51. His birthday is June 20, 1973.
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Is Josh Shapiro married?
Shapiro is married to Lori Shapiro. She worked under the Clinton administration as an analyst in the Office of Science and Technology Policy and was later promoted to liaison to the President’s Information Technology Advisory Committee. The two have been married since May 25, 1997, and have four children: Reuben, Sophia, Max and Jonah.
Where does Josh Shapiro live?
Shapiro currently lives in Abington Township in Montgomery County, PA.
How long has Josh Shapiro been in politics?
Shapiro was elected to Pennsylvania’s 153rd district in the House in 2004 and later served as Montgomery County commissioner in 2012. He was endorsed by then-President Barack Obama in 2016 when he became the state’s Attorney General and won re-election in 2020.
In 2022, Shapiro was elected as Pennsylvania’s 48th governor, defeating state Senator Doug Mastriano by 12 points and becoming the state’s third Jewish governor. His campaign focused on criticizing Mastriano’s anti-abortion stance and his involvement in the U.S. Capitol riot in 2021. Shapiro’s campaign also raised funds eight times that of Mastriano’s.
Should he be elected, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis would succeed Shapiro, becoming Pennsylvania’s first Black governor.
What’s the history between Shapiro and Harris?
Shapiro has endorsed Harris’ candidacy along with the other 23 Democratic governors. He and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer held a joint rally in Montgomery County, PA to support the Harris campaign.
What are Shapiro’s policy positions?
Shapiro is seen as liberal on social issues such as abortion. However, he’s also received praise from conservatives for his support of expanding school choice in the state and removing the requirement of a college of 65,000 state government positions, his first act as a governor.
When a section of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia collapsed, Shapiro pushed for its quick repair, having the job completed in two weeks.
Who are Harris’ other options?
In addition to Shapiro, other Democrats Harris is considering as her vice presidential nominee are Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
Joey Garrison contributed to the reporting of this story.
Victor Hagan is the Alabama Election Reporting Fellow for the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached at [email protected] or on X @TheVictorHagan. To support his work, subscribe to the Advertiser.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Who is Josh Shapiro? What to know about the governor, VP contender
