Some activists are criticizing Shapiro and Kelly as potential VP picks
WASHINGTON — Democrats have consolidated rapidly behind Vice President Kamala Harris as she has assumed the leading position of the party’s ticket ahead of the November presidential election.
The scenario might differ when it comes to selecting a running mate.
Among the potential finalists emerged Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, both have encountered criticism from certain groups and advocates who might typically support Democratic initiatives, potentially weakening the newfound solidarity of the party just two weeks after Harris joined the race.
The vice president’s team indicates she is considering six potential options over the weekend before an anticipated announcement on Monday. Following that, she and her running mate will jointly attend a rally in Philadelphia, then tour six additional swing states.
In addition to Shapiro and Kelly, Harris is reportedly contemplating Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
Walz altered his weekend travel arrangements, but his office did not respond to an inquiry on Saturday about whether it was for an interview with Harris. “The governor’s schedule has changed, and he is no longer traveling to New Hampshire this weekend,” Walz spokesman Teddy Tschann said.
Some congressional Democrats have endorsed Kelly, a former Navy pilot and astronaut whose state shares over 370 miles of border with Mexico. They argue that his selection could help mitigate criticisms from the Republican candidate, former President Donald Trump, who contends that the Biden administration’s immigration policies are too lenient.
Shapiro has notable supporters as well, including Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker. She caused a stir by sharing a video on Friday featuring several Philadelphia-area officials and Democrats endorsing Harris, but also emphasizing Shapiro as her running mate — implying that the mayor had insider information about Harris’ decision.
However, an individual familiar with the mayor’s thoughts stated that the video was merely a display of Parker showing support for both Harris and the potential selection of Shapiro, a friend of Parker. The individual was not authorized to publicly discuss the matter and spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Both Kelly and Shapiro have also faced heightened opposition as Harris nears a decision.
Although this may not ultimately influence Harris, it indicates that the initial phase of support for the vice president, where the various factions of the Democratic Party united behind her, may be waning in the less than two weeks since President Joe Biden relinquished his reelection campaign and endorsed her.
Certain labor organizations have criticized Kelly, claiming he is against proposed legislation that they believe would enhance union organizing. The senator’s office refutes this, stating that while he did not sponsor the proposed legislation, he has expressed willingness to vote for it on the floor.
Nonetheless, Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers, mentioned that despite endorsing Harris for president, his 370,000-member union is not backing Kelly as a potential running mate. Fain also mentioned that the union does not support Shapiro, who has previously shown readiness to collaborate with Republicans in advocating for the expansion of voucher programs that permit public funds to go to private schools.
Fain did commend Beshear, Walz, and Pritzker.
“She’s probably got a thousand people telling her the same thing, you know, of what they think,” Fain said in an interview. “And so she’s got to make the decision based off of what she feels is, you know, is best for her.”
The organization Institute for Middle East Understanding has publicly expressed its disapproval, stating in a release that Shapiro “is not the appropriate candidate for the position, and selecting him would be a step in the wrong direction.”
Shapiro, who intends to be present at Harris’ rally in Philadelphia on Tuesday, has vigorously addressed what he perceives as antisemitism arising from pro-Palestinian demonstrations and has declared solidarity with Israel in its efforts to eradicate Hamas as it contends with the militants in Gaza.
Shapiro has criticized universities for not promptly addressing antisemitism and has become a prominent critic of the University of Pennsylvania’s president, Liz Magill. She resigned after testifying at a congressional hearing where she was unable to state under repeated questioning that calls for the genocide of Jews on campus would violate the school’s code of conduct.
Shapiro has also condemned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, while suggesting that ending the Israel-Hamas conflict necessitates the removal of Hamas from power.
The governor has been censured by the Council on American-Islamic Relations for not censuring Israel for civilian casualties in Gaza or for not urging Israel to cease hostilities in the region. Shapiro has countered by stating that he has engaged with Muslim Americans and empathizes with their suffering.
The progressive activist group RootsAction.org opposes Shapiro’s stances on Israel, school vouchers, and environmental matters, among other concerns. The group asserts that by considering Shapiro, Harris “has triggered alarm bells among young people, advocates for racial justice, Arab Americans, Muslims, and others whose votes and campaign involvement were pivotal in defeating Trump four years ago.”
Meanwhile, The Philadelphia Inquirer revisited an opinion piece Shapiro penned in 1993 as a 20-year-old college student at the University of Rochester where he stated that peace “will never come” to the Middle East and that Palestinians were “too bellicose” to coexist with Israel.
When asked about it, Shapiro responded, “I was 20” adding that he has long supported a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
“It is my hope that we can see a day where peace will reign in the Middle East,” he said.
Some environmental leaders and residents of the rural town of Dimock, Pennsylvania. They have drafted a letter to Harris urging her not to select Shapiro and alleging that the governor failed to fulfill his promises to clean up groundwater contaminated by natural gas extraction through hydraulic fracturing.