Do we like Josh Shapiro?
Our score: 7 out of 10. A strong record on LGBTQ+ rights and standing up to Trump, held back by a gas-friendly energy record, a hedge on trans athletes and a harassment settlement in his office.
Josh Shapiro is Pennsylvania's Democratic governor, and by his own account he grew up in a structured religious home, went to a faith-based school and still hosts Shabbat dinners. Before the top job he was the state's attorney general, and he says the Trump campaign filed more than 40 lawsuits against him in 2020. He still campaigns on that fight, vowing to “do everything in my power to stop anyone from taking away your vote.”
The messiest chapter is inside his own office. In 2023 the governor's office paid $295,000 to settle a former staffer's claim that senior aide Mike Vereb made lewd and misogynistic remarks, and she also alleged retaliation. Vereb resigned, a spokesperson declined further comment, and when the Senate's top Republican raised concerns about him staying on for months, Shapiro told reporters to “consider the source.” Critics still point to how long it took.
On the planet, he calls his approach “all-of-the-above”, and environmental groups say it leans too hard on gas. As part of a budget deal he agreed to end Pennsylvania's power plant carbon program, and he's backed hydrogen and data centre growth. On migrants, he's called the ICE operation in Minnesota “absolutely unacceptable” and says Pennsylvania doesn't do ICE's work. I found no harmful company he keeps and nothing like conspiracy or grievance politics, but it's a mixed green report card.
The Kamala Harris stoush is the other recent drama. After Harris's book described his vetting for her running mate, Shapiro told The Atlantic her account was “just blatant lies”, then walked back his wording, saying “I shouldn't say 'cover her a--.'” Harris's team hadn't responded in the coverage I read. Where you land depends on whether you read it as a bloke defending his reputation or a guy picking a fight with his own side.
So: would we support him? Mostly yes. He's on our side on LGBTQ+ rights, abortion rights and standing up to the Trump administration, and he's popular across party lines. The asterisks are real, though: a hedge on trans sports, a cosy gas stance, and a harassment settlement he handled badly. He's not perfect, but he's no wolf in sheep's clothing.