Right now, it looks like Kamala Harris is the Democratic Party’s likely nominee, assuming nothing else weird happens between now and the convention. Since it’s the Democrats, you never know if they’ll pull it off, because they were willing to trample on democracy to push Joe Biden aside in the hopes of improving their chances.
As I previously reported, despite this move, Kamala still has to deal with some math problems in the Electoral College, and the two recent polls in the swing states show that she is still in trouble. Her choice for vice president could play a role in this. Rumor has it that Barack Obama wants Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, and he is at the top of the shortlist for Kamala.
However, as I mentioned, the one state that the Democrats absolutely have to win is Pennsylvania, so you might think that Governor Josh Shapiro, who is popular in the state, might be the best candidate for their vice presidential nomination.
READ MORE: Two modern polls in swing states show Kamala in earnest trouble
But there’s a compact problem that just cropped up that could ruin Shapiro’s chances: assuming the Democrats stick to their word.
A Democrat running for Secretary of the Treasury in Pennsylvania, Erin McClelland, posted on X about the vice presidential election, where she apparently sharply criticized Shapiro for sexism and accused him of brushing aside a sexual harassment case under his jurisdiction.
I want a vice president who is secure enough to run second to a woman, who is comfortable being vice president, who will not undermine the president to rig his own election, who will not sweep sexual harassment under the rug. I want someone who can speak to rural voters. That is @RoyCooperNC
— Erin McClelland (@ErinforPA) July 23, 2024
Her social media post appeared to reference a sexual harassment scandal that rocked Shapiro’s office last year. A former top aide to the governor, Mike Vereb, was accused of sexual harassment by a female subordinate. The governor’s office reached a $295,000 settlement with the accuser, but Vereb did not resign until six months after filing a complaint. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
Pennsylvania state lawmakers sharply criticized Shapiro’s handling of the scandal, and Republicans questioned why Vereb was allowed to remain in office for months after the accuser went public.
So what happened to “Me Too” and “believe all women”? That doesn’t seem to have gone over very well here. Given Kamala’s supposed position on the issue, is she really going to choose a guy who even a Democrat is now putting in the shade? If she does, it shows how little they care about the principles they say are vital and how much they really only care about winning.
There are already signs that Democrats are incensed with McClelland for raising this issue again. Democratic Party Chairman Sharif Streetwho supports Shapiro, said that while everyone is “entitled to their own opinion,” he felt “personally insulted” by the post and would “speak separately to our candidate for treasurer.” It sounds like instead of explaining Shapiro’s actions, they are yelling at the person who dared to speak about it. Not a good image.
But McClelland isn’t keeping tranquil. She also told the NY Post:
“If I’m in [Harris’] situation, I would think very strongly about the difficulties that some women in a top position experience when they are surrounded by men who have to be content with being second or third or answering to a woman,” she told the outlet.
McClelland also said she hasn’t spoken to Street since the controversy surrounding her post, but believes their relationship will be “good.”
“Someone feels insulted by a woman with strong opinions. I am thunderstruck,” she told the Post.
She did say she would support the candidates regardless of who was elected, but that sounds pretty lame after going so far out on a limb with her opposition to Shapiro.
But we’ll see where it goes. The decision to select him or not, if Pennsylvania is absolutely necessary, will show how vital Harris and the Democrats are to their principles.
