Jewish Democrats in Congress are outraged by liberal attacks on Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, arguing that he is being unfairly denigrated simply because he is the top Jewish person on Harris’ shortlist.
Far-left voices have in recent weeks been vocal in their criticism of Governor Shapiro’s stance on the Israel-Hamas war, accusing the 51-year-old governor of blindly supporting Israel’s aggressive military campaign at the expense of tens of thousands of Palestinians killed in the conflict. Some have even called him “Genocide Josh.”
The attacks have infuriated Shapiro’s allies in Congress, particularly Jewish members, who say his critics are not only misrepresenting his position on the war but also engaging in anti-Semitism.
“Josh’s position on Israel is pretty much the same as everyone else’s, but he’s being measured by a different standard, so you have to ask yourself why,” said Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-Fla.).
Moskowitz said the party would never tolerate similar attacks if the candidate was, say, black, gay or Latino, and that in that case “we would condemn it and we would speak out in a deafening voice.”
“But Josh is being held to double and triple standards in an attempt to destroy his chances of becoming vice president,” he added.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), another prominent Jewish lawmaker, also came to Shapiro’s defense, saying critics were dissecting his record in a way that other candidates haven’t stood up to.
“It’s very remarkable that, among the candidates she is carefully considering, the only Jewish candidate is facing very intense and very specific scrutiny, particularly on his position on Israel,” Wasserman Schultz said, calling the move “deeply troubling.”
To be sure, criticism of Shapiro and his stance on Gaza has been spearheaded not by prominent progressives in Congress but by far-left groups.
However, there are still many voices of opposition.
Last month, the Philadelphia chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America issued a statement against Vice President Shapiro, calling him an “avowed supporter of the Zionist project in Palestine.” The anti-Shapiro campaign is also running at NoGenocideJosh.org. In the documentObtained by Jewish InsiderThis includes people associated with “Dear White Staffers,” a social media account that reports alleged workplace abuse at the Capitol.
Shapiro is in just his first term as governor, but he has quickly built national recognition for his record of building bipartisan coalitions, outperforming other Democratic candidates in the polls and maintaining broad support in Republican battleground states. Recent polls have him with an approval rating of about 60%.
The governor, who keeps a kosher diet, attended Jewish day school and proposed to his wife in Jerusalem, has staunchly supported Israel during the war in Gaza, strengthened Tel Aviv’s right to defend itself, stressed the importance of defeating Hamas and condemned the pro-Palestinian protests that took over college campuses, including the University of Pennsylvania, in the spring.
But Shapiro supports a two-state solution in the Middle East and has been particularly critical of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. At one point, he called the conservative leader “one of the worst leaders in history,” claiming that the controversial figure “has misled Israel and made Israel less secure and its future darker because of his leadership.” The comments came months after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York, the highest-ranking Jewish elected official in history, called for new elections for Israel and said Netanyahu had “lost his way.”
Shapiro’s supporters are quick to point out that the governor’s positions on the Gaza war are in line with those of the other vice presidential candidates and have at times been more critical of Israel than the other candidates, and they argue that the increased scrutiny of the governor’s views is due to anti-Semitism.
For example, Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) has said that it is appropriate for police to step in and quell protests on college campuses when they take an illegal turn, has called Hamas the “biggest obstacle” to a ceasefire in the Middle East, and said Israeli authorities “must do more” to reduce the deaths of innocent people.
Meanwhile, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (Democrat) ordered flags in the state flown at half-staff following the October 7 attack on Israel. TC Jewish“If you find yourself unable to find moral clarity on a Saturday morning, waiting to think of what to say, then you need to reevaluate your position,” he told mourners at the temple a few days after the massacre.
“I’ve seen people talking about vice presidential candidates single out Governor Shapiro and say he takes pretty much the same positions as the other candidates and that his positions on Israel and Gaza disqualify him. The only thing that sets him apart is the fact that he’s Jewish, which by definition falls into the category of anti-Semitism,” said Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), another Jewish member of Congress.
Rep. Brad Sherman (D-Calif.), another veteran Jewish lawmaker, noted that Shapiro’s critics are not all the same type. For example, Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) was also cold toward Shapiro’s ascension to the vice presidency, but Sherman said, “That has nothing to do with anti-Semitism and everything to do with Pennsylvania politics.”
Still, Sherman did not mince words when he called Shapiro’s Hamas supporters “clearly anti-Semitic.”
“If you look at Twitter, they’re venting their anger at the Jewish people because they realize one of the candidates is Jewish,” Sherman said. “His position is [on Israel] Just like everyone else on the shortlist: Yes, I think it’s because he’s Jewish.
“They can say he went to Israel, but that’s what American Jews do,” he continued. “All my Mexican-American friends have been to Mexico. All my French-American friends have been to France.”
The Israel-Hamas conflict isn’t the only issue fueling liberal backlash against Shapiro being selected as the running mate. Fetterman, for example, has reportedly been at odds with Shapiro for years on issues of law enforcement and amnesty policy. Some other prominent progressives have also cited Shapiro’s positions on labor issues, particularly his support for school vouchers, which have clashed with union leaders who have called on Harris to choose someone else.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, voiced her dislike of Mr. Shapiro just before the adjournment, not for his Israel policy but for his labor issues. Asked specifically about the Pennsylvania governor, she declined to comment, saying she could not support him.
“I’m not commenting on anybody else, I’m just commenting on who would be a great choice,” Jayapal told reporters outside the Capitol.
“I don’t understand how you can elect someone who doesn’t have a strong record of advocating for working people,” she continued. “They’re the core constituency of the Democratic Party. It’s the core policy that we should fight for.”
Harris is expected to announce her running mate on Tuesday morning, ahead of a full Democratic campaign rally in Philadelphia later that day. In addition to Shapiro, Walz, Kerry, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg are also considering the option.
As the nation awaits Harris’ announcement, many Democrats are pushing for a simple tactic that they hope will guide her decision: pick the candidate most likely to stop former President Trump from winning a second term.
Trump’s choice of Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio) as his running mate has put Republicans on the defensive after his provocative comments in recent weeks, but some say it provides a road map to show how wrong he is in choosing running mates.
“Trump has been pretty sloppy with everything and I’m sure he had no idea how much J.D. Vance hated cats and loved couches,” Sherman said. “The Republicans clearly haven’t done their job. I’m hoping the Democrats will do their job.”
