What to know about Josh Shapiro, Kamala Harris’ potential VP pick

State of play: Harris is expected to announce her pick for vice president by Aug. 7.

• Others in the veepstakes include Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, and Arizona U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly.
• Shapiro has dodged questions about his own potential selection, saying he would not "engage in hypotheticals."
• "This is a deeply personal decision that the vice president will make...that decision should be made free of any sort of political pressure," Shapiro said earlier this month.

Between the lines: Many Republicans view Shapiro as a formidable VP pick for Harris, NBC News reported.

• Prominent Pennsylvania union leaders are also throwing their support behind Shapiro, including from the Philadelphia Building and Construction Trades Council and the Laborers' District Council, an organization representing more than 50 local unions, CBS News reported.

Here's what you should know about Shapiro:

Shapiro's background

Shapiro, 51, was born in Missouri but raised in a suburb of Philadelphia.

• His father was a pediatrician and his mother was an educator.
• He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the University of Rochester and a law degree from Georgetown University.
• Shapiro and his wife, Lori, were high school sweethearts. The couple has four children.

Zoom in: Shapiro, who is Jewish, has been outspoken about the rise in antisemitism in the U.S.

Shapiro's political career

Shapiro began his political career as a state representative for Pennsylvania's Montgomery County, a Philly suburb, from 2005 to 2011.

• He went on to become the chair of the Board of Commissioners in Montgomery County, serving in the role from 2011 to 2017.
• Like Harris, Shapiro was a state attorney general. He served as Pennsylvania Attorney General from 2017 to 2023, when he took office as the state's governor.

Flashback: Shapiro won his 2022 gubernatorial race in a landslide against Trump-endorsed Republican challenger Doug Mastriano.

Major policy stances and achievements

Shapiro has been outspoken in his defense of reproductive rights, voting rights and legalizing marijuana.

• As governor, he was credited for his leadership in rapidly re-opening I-95 after a deadly bridge collapse forced the major artery to temporarily close.

• Shapiro also signed bills to expand insurance coverage for breast cancer screenings and secured increased funding to provide universal free breakfast to Pennsylvania public school students.
• However, he was criticized by teachers' unions for his support of private school vouchers for students in poorly performing public schools, which would have used public money to fund private school educations.
• While he was attorney general, Shapiro led a probe that uncovered widespread sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church. Federal prosecutors subsequently opened their own investigation into the matter, subpoenaing several Roman Catholic dioceses in Pennsylvania.

Zoom out: Shapiro has drawn criticism from some progressives for his support for Israel and comments about college campus protests against the war in Gaza.

• Even before President Biden withdrew from the 2024 race, many of Shapiro's campaign appearances drew pro-Palestinian protesters, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

What Shapiro has said about Trump

Shapiro has long been a vocal critic of former President Trump.

• While running for governor in 2022, Shapiro slammed Trump's false claims about the 2020 presidential election being stolen.
• During a rally for Harris on Monday, Shapiro said Trump was "ripping away our freedoms."

Go deeper: With Biden out, Josh Shapiro emerges as possible VP pick