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By Alia Shoaib
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Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is widely considered a frontrunner for Kamala Harris's vice presidential pick.
Speculation about Shapiro has risen after Harris's campaign said she would reveal her VP choice at a rally in Philadelphia next week—in his home state—which will kick off a series of events in battleground states.
Shapiro has both considerable strengths and potential drawbacks as a candidate.
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First, the pros. Shapiro is very popular in his state of Pennsylvania, which is an important battleground state for Democrats.
Trump is ahead in the polls in Pennsylvania, and some Democrats believe that securing the state's 19 electoral votes will be critical to winning in November.
Shapiro, considered a rising star in the Democratic Party, is also a charismatic and gifted orator.
He is viewed as fairly moderate, which could be an asset in courting traditional Democrats and independent voters. Some Republicans have voiced that Shapiro is the candidate they find most formidable, NBC reported using anonymous sources.
Shapiro won the governorship in a 2022 landslide over the Trump-backed state Senator Doug Mastriano. He then gained national prominence and plaudits the following year for his handling of a major bridge collapse.
Shapiro's leadership was also praised by both Republicans and Democrats following the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania.
But it may not be smooth sailing to the ticket.
The governor's stances on the Israel-Gaza war have particularly been under scrutiny.
Shapiro affirmed his support for Israel's right to defend itself following the October 7 Hamas attacks and has resisted calls for a cease-fire.
This does not separate him too much from most other Democrats, and he has previously been critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
However, the governor, who is Jewish, has been a vocal critic of pro-Palestinian protests that swept college campuses across the country, which he has described as antisemitic and compared to the KKK.
This could be a vulnerability with the party's left wing and young voters Harris is trying to court.
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Another perspective is that Shapiro could be an asset to Harris on the topic, helping to secure Jewish votes and giving her some balance.
She has already gone further than President Joe Biden on Gaza, promising in a speech that she will not be "silent" on suffering in the enclave after meeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Shapiro has other potential drawbacks too. A group of progressive leaders criticized him for not championing public education due to his support for private school vouchers and urged Harris to consider other candidates for VP.
He has also been criticized for his handling of sexual harassment claims against an aide.
Along with the Pennsylvania governor, other top contenders to join Harris on the ticket are believed to be Arizona Senator Mark Kelly, Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky, Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
Shapiro and Kelly appear to be topping the speculative lists, as the clock ticks on for Harris to make her decision.
Newsweek reached out to Harris's campaign and Shapiro's office for comment via email and contact form.
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