Allies push their in-state stars for VP — especially in Pennsylvania

PITTSBURGH — In the days after President Joe Biden ended his 2024 campaign and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris to succeed him, Democrats across the country rushed to rally behind her, too. In Pennsylvania, the Philadelphia Democratic Party went a step further — endorsing not just Harris, but a ticket with Harris backed up by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.

As Harris kicks off an unusually rapid search for a vice presidential nominee, Shapiro’s in-state allies are standing out with an especially public and vocal push to elevate their governor. Shapiro, who was elected in 2022 and twice elected state attorney general before that, has mostly deflected when asked about running mate speculation in recent days. So have North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona and others.

But their friends are making enough noise on their own.

Former Rep. Bob Brady, the chair of the Philadelphia Democratic Party, told NBC News that with Shapiro on the ticket, Harris will win Pennsylvania.

“I don’t guarantee anything, but I will guarantee that,” said Brady, whose committee announced endorsing Shapiro for VP “without any opposition.” He continued, “No question about it. We’re so enthused, so riled up.” 

“We are pushing for our favorite son,” Brady said gushing about Shapiro’s electability, calling the endorsement of Shapiro a “no-brainer” and saying, “He checks every box.” 

Pennsylvania state House Speaker Joanna McClinton also endorsed a Harris-Shapiro ticket, telling NBC News that “when I think about winning Pennsylvania, I think about our governor first, because Gov. Shapiro has won across Pennsylvania three times.” 

Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell said Shapiro is “the type of man that every mother in Pennsylvania would hope her son grows up to be.” 

Rendell says the enthusiasm level in Pennsylvania is already “sky high” for Harris, but believes with Shapiro on the ticket, it would “go off the charts.”

This push is a stark contrast to what Shapiro has been saying while fielding a glut of media questions about Harris’ campaign. Shapiro released a statement Sunday quickly endorsing Harris and noting their relationship, adding that he spoke to Biden and Harris after their announcements and has known Harris “for nearly two decades.” 

Since then, Shapiro has repeatedly told reporters that Harris has a “deeply personal decision to make,” adding that “it should be made free from any political pressure.”

Shapiro has kept up his local public schedule amid a new crush of national attention, speaking Wednesday in New Castle, Pennsylvania, about a new law reforming pharmacy benefit manager regulations. Like anything that passes through Pennsylvania’s divided state legislature, it required bipartisan cooperation. “We are proving that we can bring Republicans and Democrats together to get meaningful things done,” Shapiro said.

When asked about the support from the likes of Brady and McClinton, Shapiro told NBC News, “While I am, of course, grateful for the kindness that Speaker McClinton and Congressman Brady shared, this is a process that the vice president needs to go through and make her decision based upon factors that she lays forward.” 

Brady does not view his and others’ push for Shapiro as putting political pressure on Harris, emphasizing it is “110%” her decision. 

“If it’s not Josh Shapiro, whoever it may be, we will rally around them,” Brady said. 

While pro-Shapiro voices have been particularly outspoken backing him in his state, there are similar efforts heating up elsewhere. In North Carolina, where Cooper is under consideration, state Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton and Rep. Deborah Ross both posted pictures with their governor on X, writing, “I know who I would pick for VP 👀”

In Arizona, members of the state Democratic Party executive board endorsed Kelly for Harris’ running mate on Thursday, touting his ability to “help working families, boost our economy, and ensure our communities are safe and secure.”

“We are confident that with Senator Kelly on the ballot, Vice President Harris can build a winning coalition that defeats Donald Trump and J.D. Vance in November,” the state party announced, adding that “the road to the White House runs through Arizona in this election.”

It’s unclear whether such public displays have any effect on vice presidential decisions past or present. But they can be useful displays of loyalty. Just hours before the Arizona party put out its statement supporting Kelly, Arizona Democratic Party Chair Yolanda Bejarano initially stopped short of endorsing Kelly at a news conference in Phoenix, telling NBC News, “This is something that we’re going to trust the vice president’s judgment.”

And of course, not everyone is lined up behind their home-state VP hopeful.

Erin McClelland, the Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania state treasurer who beat the state party’s endorsed candidate in a primary earlier this year, posted on X against Shapiro, making reference to a sexual harassment case against a former Shapiro aide.

“I want a VP pick that’s secure enough to be second under a woman, is content to be VP & won’t undermine the President to maneuver his own election & doesn’t sweep sexual harassment under the rug.  I want someone that can speak to rural voters. That is @RoyCooperNC,” McClelland posted.

Brady called McClelland “nuts” in response and said he thinks she is making a “major mistake.” “I think she just sunk herself and I’m not too happy with her at all,” he added.

Pennsylvania state Sen. Sharif Street, the state Democratic Party chair, stopped short of fully endorsing Shapiro in an interview, citing deference to Harris. “As a state party, I don’t presume to tell the vice president, our nominee for president, who she should pick. I’m not doing that,” he said.

But Street added: “What I am telling you is I think Josh would do a great job.” 

Like others, Street noted that Shapiro has been the top vote-getter in Pennsylvania in past elections, including years when he shared the ticket with presidential hopefuls Biden and Hillary Clinton. And Street noted “he’s been effective” while working with a GOP state Senate and a Democratic state House in Harrisburg.

“My job is to make sure we win the state,” Street said. “I think Kamala Harris is gonna win Pennsylvania no matter which vice presidential pick she picks. But gee, I mean, if I could go around and have our governor be the pick, I mean, I’d be being disingenuous to say that wouldn’t make it easier.”