Trump Campaign Manager Chris LaCivita Reveals Kamala Harris's Pick For Vice President

On Wednesday, Trump campaign manager Chris LaCivita revealed on X that, according to his reliable sources, Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) will be selected to be Vice President Kamala Harris's running mate. The alleged selection comes just two days after Harris secured enough delegates to become the presumptive Democratic nominee, and it is an attempt to increase Democratic support in a key battleground state.

"Reliable Sources confirm, Kamala (@VP) To Pick [Governor Josh Shapiro] from [Pennsylvania]," LaCivita wrote. The Trump campaign manager's assertion comes as many other prominent Democrats have been said to have been in the running for the vice president's running mate. Other names that have been circulated include Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Gov. Andy Beshear (D-KY), Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Gov. Roy Cooper (R-NC), and Gov. Andy Beshear (D-KY). 

Vice President Harris' alleged selection of Shapiro will give Democrats a better chance at winning Pennsylvania, a state central to Democrat electoral strategy to reach 270 electoral votes in November. Gov. Shapiro has a long history in Pennsylvania politics, having served in the state House as attorney general and as governor after defeating Doug Mastriano (R-PA) in 2022 with over 700,000 votes. The Pennsylvania governor currently enjoys a 26-point net approval rating in the Keystone State, and his selection could bring enough voters to the Democrats in November to ensure it goes in Harris' favor.

While Shapiro is seen by many to be a competitive pick to win the presidency for Democrats, some think that choosing Shapiro, a Jewish man, as Harris' running mate could fracture the party given the fervent anti-Israel and anti-Semitic sentiment that has been bubbling up amongst some progressive activists in the party. A recent op-ed in The New Republic argued that Shapiro is the one vice presidential pick that could sink the ticket, citing the governor's stance on Palestine.

"Unfortunately, Shapiro also stands out among the current field of potential running mates as being egregiously bad on Palestine," David Klion writes. "It's not just that he, like many Democrats, is an outspoken supporter of Israel—though he certainly is, having championed Israel's war against Hamas consistently and without any apparent concern for Palestinian civilians. Shapiro has, moreover, done far more than most Democrats to attack pro-Palestine antiwar demonstrators, in ways that call into question his basic commitment to First Amendment rights."

In 2020, Pennsylvania was narrowly carried by President Biden with 50.1 percent of the vote compared to Trump's 48.84 percent of the vote. Recent polls show that Trump is leading Harris by around four points in the state. 

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