Vice President Kamala Harris’ selection of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her presidential election running mate Tuesday ended speculation that Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro might get the nod, a possibility that had been considered likely by many analysts, politicians and party officials.
Shapiro, a first-term Democratic Party governor, was reported to have been on the final shortlist of contenders for the vice presidential nomination.
“Vice presidential picks don’t usually mean much in terms of vote shares, but I did think Shapiro brought specific attributes to the race that could have helped Harris in the state,” Berwood Yost, director of Franklin & Marshall College’s Center for Opinion Research, said. “I’m not sure that adding Walz to the ticket does anything to attract state voters to the ticket who wouldn’t already be considering Harris.
“Shapiro was probably the victim of internal party divisions – he was clearly not acceptable to the party’s progressive wing. Still, I don’t think being overlooked hurts his future ambitions at all.”
Pennsylvania is considered one of the most important swing states in the upcoming election between Harris, the Democrat’s presumptive nominee, and Republican candidate former President Donald Trump.
“Pennsylvania is undoubtedly in play, regardless of VP choice,” Yost said.
Robert Gleason Jr., a current Pennsylvania Republican Committee member and former chairman of the state party from 2006 to 2017, disagreed.
“Kamala Harris’ pick of Walz indicates to me that she is conceding Pennsylvania,” said Gleason, who is president of the Westmont Hilltop School Board.
‘Wonderful pick’
Democratic chairs from Cambria, Crawford, Union, Mercer and Lawrence counties spoke positively about Harris selecting Walz, while also complimenting Shapiro.
Cambria County Democratic Party Chairwoman Nina Licastro described Walz as “a wonderful pick.”
“I think he brings experience from many different factions of his life – military, teacher, working in manufacturing, representing a rural farm-based district when he was in Congress, now he’s governor of a large state that is very similar to Pennsylvania with all different types of landscapes to it,” Licastro said.
Licastro added that she is “happy” Pennsylvania is not losing Shapiro as governor.
Andy Harkulich, from the Mercer County Democrats, expressed similar thoughts, saying, “I don’t think it was a surprise because of the relationship the vice president had with Tim.
“I’d have liked to see Josh be her running mate, but also I didn’t want to lose him as governor.”
Shari Jacobson, chairwoman of the Union County Democratic Committee, felt Harris was able to select from a “deep bench” of candidates.
“I would have been happy with anyone on the short shortlist or the long shortlist,” Jacobson said.
“I thought they were all compelling for different reasons. I think Tim Walz is a great selection, and I think Josh Shapiro would have been a great selection.”
Lawrence County Democratic Committee Chairman Timothy Buck added: “I think it’s a good choice no matter which path she went. The enthusiasm is high.
“She made the choice she made. This choice I think really helps lock everything up. If you look at the big picture, her choice of Tim Walz will help Pennsylvania. Any state with somebody who’s a good governor will help get it there. Shapiro’s done a great job for us. If you look at Tim Walz’s record, he’s done a good job, too.”
Lindsey Scott, chairwoman of the Crawford County Democratic Committee, said Shapiro is an excellent campaigner and would be an asset to any campaign.
“However, Tim Walz’s background as a (non-commissioned officer) in the military, a teacher, congressman and governor, gives me an immense confidence in our presidential ticket,” Scott said. “I’ve also heard directly from multiple Republicans in Crawford, glad to not lose Josh Shapiro as governor.”
Opposing views
Meanwhile, many Republicans immediately labeled the Harris-Walz ticket as, in their opinions, bad for Pennsylvania and the nation.
“First and foremost, this is by far the most liberal ticket, left-wing ticket that’s ever run for president and vice president of America,” said state Rep. Aaron Bernstine, R-Lawrence.
“It’s proven by many of the comments on the left.”
Cambria County Republican Party Chairwoman Jackie Kulback said that selecting Walz “highlights how far left the Democratic Party has gone.”
Harris picked Walz as her running mate a little over two weeks after President Joe Biden, a Democrat, withdrew from the race, even though he won the presumptive nomination during the primaries and caucuses.
“(That) neither Harris nor Walz were elected by their voters further shows the contempt the party bosses have for their base,” Kulback said.
U.S. Rep. Dr. John Joyce, R-Blair, linked Walz to an informal group of progressive U.S. House of Representatives members known as the Squad.
“Once again, by choosing Tim Walz as her vice presidential candidate, Kamala Harris has shown that her campaign will cater to the members of the Squad, not hardworking Pennsylvania families,” Joyce said.
“On the ideological scale, Tim Walz has taken radical left-wing positions that would make socialist Bernie Sanders blush. While the Harris-Walz ticket will fight for the radical liberal agenda, President Trump will continue fighting to secure our border, tackle out-of-control inflation, and restore order on the world stage.”
Dave Sutor is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat.