Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on Tuesday praised the selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate.
Shapiro was believed to be one of the top contenders on the Democrat ticket, with many pundits declaring him the front-runner, given his popularity as governor in a key battleground state.
Despite being passed over, Shapiro said the Harris campaign has his support.
"I know that Governor Tim Walz is an exceptionally strong addition to the ticket who will help Kamala move our country forward," Shapiro said in a statement. "Over the next 92 days, I look forward to traveling all across the Commonwealth to unite Pennsylvanians behind Kamala Harris' campaign to defeat Donald Trump, become the 47th President of the United States, and build a better future for our country."
Shapiro said he will attend Harris' rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday night where she will first appear with Walz. Shapiro had faced opposition from some progressives over his staunch support for Israel in its war with Hamas and his harsh rhetoric toward pro-Palestinian protesters.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., reached out to the Harris campaign to express his concern about Shapiro's personal ambition, Politico reported.
Had he been selected, Shapiro would have been the second Jew, after Joe Lieberman, to be on a major party ticket.
"I've been called to serve because I want to leave our community, our Commonwealth, and our country better off for our children — and because my faith teaches me that no one is required to complete the task, but neither are we free to refrain from it," Shapiro said.
Sam Barron ✉
Sam Barron has almost two decades of experience covering a wide range of topics including politics, crime and business.
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