Kamala Harris will announce her running mate on Tuesday, but there are numerous signs that the choice has already been made. The first indication was the campaign rally scheduled for the same day in Pennsylvania. The governor of that state is Josh Shapiro, and there were already rumors that he was the frontrunner.
SEE: And then there were three, Kamala Harris shrinks the vice presidential list
Now we may have confirmation. According to a novel report, Shapiro suddenly canceled several fundraisers he was supposed to hold for his campaign committee over the weekend. Either this is a major deception in which Shapiro is playing the fool, or he is the culprit.
Governor Shapiro cancels weekend fundraisers in the Hamptons
Shapiro’s “trip was planned several weeks ago and included several fundraisers for his own campaign committee,” said spokesman Manuel Bonder. “His schedule has changed and he is no longer traveling to the Hamptons this weekend.”
– Allan Smith (@akarl_smith) 1 August 2024
If you don’t know who Shapiro is, he was elected governor in the 2022 midterm elections with a decisive victory over Republican Doug Mastriano. Since then, he has become a very popular figure in Pennsylvania, as evidenced by his 61 percent. Approval rate. This image is largely based on the idea that Shapiro is a conciliatory “moderate” compared to many other Democrats. When you look closely at his positions, he is not, but perception is everything.
I won’t sugarcoat it. If Harris ends up choosing Shapiro, it will be the best argument for her campaign and the worst for Donald Trump’s efforts. Most Republicans have been in favor of choosing Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, and for good reason. He’s a much weaker figure in a state that just doesn’t matter that much. Arizona Senator Mark Kelly was the third name on the list, and he just doesn’t come close to the political talent Shapiro has on the campaign trail. Arizona is also more firmly in the Trump column right now.
With Pennsylvania already neck-and-neck by between one and two percentage points according to recent polls, Shapiro could make the difference. He only needs to shift a relatively petite number of votes on the margins to put Harris in the lead.
But does it lend a hand in Michigan, Wisconsin, Arizona, Nevada and Georgia? That’s another question. Some polls have shown that it does lend a hand Trump card in Michigan, meaning Shapiro’s appeal is likely to be largely restricted to his home state.
Still, Pennsylvania is a huge win. While there are certainly other ways for Trump to win the presidency, if he loses there, the odds are heavily in Harris’ favor. The three huge states of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are usually very close in presidential elections, and betting that will change this year is probably not a good bet.
This race is now wide open, and Republicans can’t take anything for granted. Trump can’t miss layups when they’re possible, and the RNC had better have the running game to stop all running games. The stakes are too high not to contest this race by any means possible. Shapiro makes things harder, but he’s only a deciding factor if Republicans allow him to be.
