Don’t Fall for Josh Shapiro’s Act as a Competent Moderate

I f slick PR, empty slogans, and a cringeworthy cadence that mimics Barack Obama’s is what you think would round out a Harris presidential ticket, then Josh Shapiro is your man. If, on the other hand, you prefer proven leadership and tangible results, you’d have to look elsewhere. As a member of Pennsylvania’s state legislature, I’ve had an eagle-eyed view of the man who, in the chaotic weeks leading up to the Democratic National Convention, appears to be a contender for the VP slot. I haven’t been impressed.

Shapiro is a classic politician — from his political-science undergraduate degree to his postcollegiate career, which has been completely political and with no “real world” experience to speak of. In this sense, he is a Joe Biden replica of the non-bumbling and -shuffling type. In an era when the Democratic Party has been ruled and thus patronized by an elitist political class, a vote cast for Josh Shapiro would be a vote cast for the status quo.

Governor Shapiro’s term has been marked more by style than substance, so he excels at platitudes. He likes to “get sh** done,” as he has repeatedly stated. I’m not sure if the faux edginess of this comment was his own idea or whether it polled well, but it has shaped his term so far. The problem is that many Pennsylvanians are still waiting for that “sh**.” Based on number of bills signed into law, his first six months in office were the least productive in 50 years. As he nears the halfway point of his term, the pace hasn’t exactly quickened.

He has presided over two annual budget negotiations, and both failed to pass before the constitutional deadline of June 30. The budget surplus of over $8 billion that the governor assumed when he took office will be totally depleted by next summer, according to Pennsylvania’s Independent Fiscal Office. This will very likely spell tax hikes in the near future, a very unwelcome gift for the 60 percent of Pennsylvanians who live paycheck to paycheck.

His record on school choice, the budding policy topic taking the country by storm, is abysmal. As I wrote in 2023, his campaign promise of ensuring relief — through the Lifeline Scholarship program — for students who are living in poverty and are trapped in the bottom 15 percent of schools ended with the stroke of his pen, in the form of a line-item veto. Not only did he renege on a campaign pledge, he broke ranks with the two-thirds of Pennsylvanians who support school choice. Some thought that Shapiro might have the gusto to return to his promise during the current budget cycle, but Lifeline Scholarships didn’t materialize, and students in underperforming schools are paying the price. As my friend and founder of Black Pastors United for Education, Joshua Robertson, writes, “he needs to prove that he stands with black and brown Pennsylvanians on the civil rights issue of our time.” To date, Shapiro has positioned himself squarely on the wrong side of this issue, and many minority students and families that could benefit have been left hanging, again.

Another catchy slogan that Shapiro likes to pull out of his back pocket is that Pennsylvania, under his leadership, is “open for business” and “competitive as hell.” Nothing could be farther from the truth. Few states have lost more residents than Pennsylvania has in the past decade — the number is north of 250,000. In the last two years alone, 50,000 have bolted the Keystone State for greener, economically friendlier pastures. Out of the 50 states, Pennsylvania ranks 46th in domestic net migration, 42nd in economic performance, and 35th in economic outlook, according to an American Legislative Exchange Council study. Besides shrinking at an alarming rate, the state has grown poorer and older — not exactly an appealing climate for fledgling businesses. I’ve argued before that there are several ways in which Pennsylvania needs to improve its competitiveness, none of which Governor Shapiro has addressed with any seriousness. The only thing the Keystone State seems to be good at is exporting businesses to other states. Its top beneficiary is North Carolina, whose Democratic governor, Roy Cooper, is also vying for the presidential ticket.

Interestingly, Pennsylvania’s Democratic candidate for state treasurer, Erin McClelland, prefers Cooper over Shapiro. McClelland refers to another unfortunate aspect of Shapiro’s record. As much as he would want his image to reflect an avant-garde, progressive leader with a knack for diversity, Shapiro’s office has a woman problem, demonstrated by the cover-up of sexual harassment within his own inner circle. Top aide Mike Vereb resigned last year only after the media uncovered that he had paid a $295,000 taxpayer-funded settlement to keep his female victim quiet. Instead of speaking out against the abuse, Shapiro was more silent than usual. Vereb was still on Shapiro’s team months after the allegations were made, prompting other state leaders, such as the first ever female president pro tempore of the state senate, Kim Ward, to ask questions. Ward’s inquiry was met with a surprisingly tone-deaf quip from the governor. “Consider the source,” he said when a reporter asked for comment at a press conference. Such behavior casts doubt on Shapiro’s effectiveness as a potential complement to Kamala Harris.

If Democrats want a vice-presidential candidate who could serve humbly, offer a fresh departure from the stale, elitist ranks, represents blue-collar America, and counter J. D. Vance, they need a tested leader. They’ll need someone other than Josh Shapiro.