Who Is Kamala Harris VP Contender, Josh Shapiro?

After Joe Biden withdrew from the presidential election in late July 2024, Kamala Harris quickly began her own campaign. Biden endorsed Harris, and by the beginning of August, the Democratic party began working towards making her the official candidate. Meanwhile, there was increased discussion about who Harris will choose to be the vice-presidential candidate. Among these contenders, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro has been mentioned repeatedly.

Part of Shapiro's appeal is strategic: Pennsylvania has 19 electoral votes, so winning the state could be crucial to winning the election. On top of that, Shapiro is also enjoying an impressively high approval rating as governor. One of his standout achievements was coordinating the restoration of a completely obliterated segment of I-95 in 12 days. "[Pennsylvania voters] like the fact that he's extremely competent. He gets things done and gets them done the right way," former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell asserted (via The Hill). "They believe that he is someone who would understand his role as vice president and be tremendously supportive to the president."

Shapiro also has common ground and a longstanding connection with Harris. "I've known Kamala Harris for nearly two decades – we're both been prosecutors," Shapiro tweeted when he endorsed Harris on July 21, 2024. Harris made history as California's Attorney General, and Shapiro served as Pennsylvania's Attorney General. Both were in these roles for six years, with Shapiro serving from 2017-2023, just before he became Pennsylvania's governor. Here's what else we know about him.

Josh Shapiro was born in 1973, and he grew up in Dresher, Pennsylvania, approximately 25 miles north of Philadelphia. His father is a pediatrician, and Shapiro initially decided to major in pre-med when he started at the University of Rochester. However, when a student serendipitously suggested Shapiro campaign for student government, it shifted his career path. Within months, he won multiple elections and ascended to the role of Students' Association President. "I knocked on doors, rallied with students, and together we made our campus better," Shapiro explained to the University of Rochester years later. "I learned the ins-and-outs of public service, and what it means to advocate for other people."

After he graduated with a political science degree, Shapiro moved to Washington, D.C. for law school. His career choice also played a role in his personal life. Although Shapiro and his wife, Lori, first got together when in high school, they went their separate ways in college. They rekindled their romance when they were both following similar careers, Shapiro as a congressional aide, and Lori employed by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

Shapiro and his wife are parents to four children, and he's become adept at balancing parenting and politics. In 2005, he began serving as a Pennsylvania State Representative when his oldest was a preschooler. Throughout subsequent elections and governmental roles, Shapiro made time for weekly family Shabbat dinners as well as coaching basketball.

Josh Shapiro could potentially become the U.S.'s first-ever Jewish vice president. He's frequently spoken about the role his Jewish faith plays in his political career. "I was raised in a home where faith and family played a central role. My faith calls me to service," Shapiro explained to the "The Breakfast Club" in June 2024. "There's a teaching in my faith: No one's required to complete the task, but neither are we free to refrain from it, meaning each of us has a responsibility to get off the sidelines, get in the game, do our part."

In accordance with this lesson, Shapiro is using positive messaging to motivate people. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he touted bipartisan achievements in providing pivotal educational services for kids with the tagline, "We can do big things in Pennsylvania." In addition, Shapiro has admonished Donald Trump more than once to "stop s*** talking America." When speaking at a political rally on behalf of Kamala Harris, Shapiro added, "America is the greatest country on the face of the earth — and it's time to start acting like it."

While Shapiro hasn't hesitated to pursue legal actions against Trump when he was Pennsylvania Attorney General, as the state's governor, he's also played an instrumental role after Trump was shot at a rally there. Shapiro received widespread respect for the thoughtful, compassionate way he interacted with other lawmakers and the victims' families after the tragedy.