Vice President Kamala Harris is reportedly considering either Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro or U.S. Senator Mark Kelly (D-AZ) of Arizona to serve as the Democratic Party’s nominee for vice president, a Monday report revealed.
After Harris claimed to obtain the support of the required number of delegates to be declared the party’s nominee, ABC News reported on Tuesday that Kelly and Shapiro are already the “leading VP candidates” under consideration.
The outlet acknowledged “the vetting process is just getting started,” but reported a senior administration official claimed Shapiro and Kelly are the current favorites to share a ticket with Harris in November, should she successfully secure the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination at its convention in August.
Shapiro, who is currently in his first term as Pennsylvania’s governor, immediately backed Harris after Biden bowed out of the race, highlighting their long relationship and shared experiences as former prosecutors.
If Shapiro, who is Jewish, is added to the Democrats’ presidential ticket, the move would come as the Jewish Telegraphic Agency notes that Harris faces “criticism from pro-Israel activists” due to her statements expressing concern about Israel’s actions in the months since Hamas terrorists launched a devastating surprise attack last October 7.
At the same time, the Michigan-based Uncommitted National Movement that supported protesting Biden’s handling of the war between Israel and Hamas shared social media posts that were critical of Shapiro, including one that declared, “Shapiro cannot be Harris’ VP pick.”
Kelly is serving his first full term in the U.S. Senate after defeating venture capitalist Blake Masters in 2022. He previously defeated former Representative Martha McSally in the 2020 special election held following the death of former Senator John McCain.
Though Harris and her campaign may consider Kelly a strong candidate due to his former career as an astronaut and back-to-back election wins in the battleground state of Arizona, ABC News reported later on Tuesday that labor unions harbor concerns about Kelly.
The outlet reported Kelly is viewed with suspicion within “the labor movement” because he has not signed the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act that aims to further empower unions and restrict moves companies can take to discourage employees from participating in unions or creating them.
Transport Workers Union President John Samuelsen, who supported Biden before he departed from the race, told the outlet, “Why would the Democrats even consider a senator for the vice presidency if the senator doesn’t support the PRO Act?”
Samuelsen added, “It’s the most important piece of national legislation workers have right now.”
Despite only winning 844 votes and zero delegates in her 2020 run for president, Harris on Tuesday claimed she “secured the broad support needed to become” the party’s nominee.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Pennsylvania Daily Star and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Josh Shapiro” by Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania.
