Josh Shapiro near top of Kamala Harris' VP short list
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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is ascending the list of candidates to be Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate, ABC News reports.
Why it matters: Adding Shapiro to the presidential ticket would boost his national profile and further cement Pennsylvania's role as a critical swing state that could decide the White House come November.
State of play: Shapiro is among several names being floated for the VP spot, including North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
- Shapiro is one of two at the top of the short list, together with Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, a senior administration official told ABC News.
Meanwhile, members of Pennsylvania's congressional delegation have been pressing Shapiro's case from Capitol Hill, Axios' Andrew Solender reports.
- Rep. Matt Cartwright said he is "just getting started" in urging the Harris campaign to pick Shapiro, saying he has "mentioned it to a few people, I think, low down in the Harris campaign."
- Rep. Susan Wild said in a statement Shapiro would be a "phenomenal" choice, adding: "I have communicated this to the Harris campaign. I do not know if the Governor is interested in the role, but I hope he is for the sake of our country."
- Rep. Madeleine Dean said she doesn't think it is appropriate to endorse anyone but said Shapiro has been a "superb leader" who often outperforms other Democrats on the same ballot.
Catch up quick: After President Biden dropped out of the race on Sunday, Shapiro quickly endorsed Harris, who's since surpassed the number of delegate endorsements needed to clinch the party's presidential nomination, according to an AP survey.
- Shapiro has dismissed questions about becoming the vice president's running mate, saying it's a "deeply personal decision" for Harris and he wouldn't "engage in hypotheticals."
- He told reporters at a news conference Tuesday that he hasn't submitted any VP paperwork to Harris' camp for consideration.
- The governor's office didn't respond to Axios' request for comment.
Zoom in: Shapiro has been governor less than two years but has built an impressive resume over that time, including his speedy handling of the I-95 collapse.
- Like Harris, he is a former attorney general. He's shown himself capable of dispatching a Trump-backed candidate and working across the aisle in Pennsylvania's divided government, political analysts tell Axios.
What they're saying: Shapiro has the focus of a "world-class athlete" and a more subdued speaking style, which could be a big selling point for Democrats looking to turn the dial down following the assassination attempt on Trump, political analyst Larry Ceisler tells Axios.
- "His brand is not a partisan brand," Ceisler says. "His rhetoric, though strong, is much less inflammatory than most. Josh has the ability to see four steps ahead and to look around corners. He's always been able to do that."
Shapiro is viewed as a good foil to Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, Trump's VP pick, who plans to camp out in the Commonwealth over the next four months, using his Rust Belt experience to appeal to voters.
The other side: St. Joseph's professor emeritus and political commentator Randall Miller felt Shapiro risked potentially damaging his future presidential prospects by hitching himself to a "sinking ship."