Behind the Curtain: Josh Shapiro’s Mixed Popularity

A leader with high approval is a rare sight in this political climate. For Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, a 60% approval rating is something to be proud of. With a $30 million campaign war chest, fervent support from both sides of the aisle propelled him to the governorship in 2023. However, his electoral success masks his deep-seated unpopularity within his own party, not voters. Josh Shapiro’s approval reveals he has a strategy that transcends partisan gridlock, but his underlying egoism may stymie his chances of leading the Democratic Party in 2028. 

Josh Shapiro was a presumptive vice presidential nominee for Harris in 2024. An interview in The Atlantic profiled Shapiro over his political experience, to little avail. Calm and collected, Shapiro was polished and predictable in his responses, sticking to a script reminiscent of Harris herself. Yet when prodded about comments Harris made in her book, 107 Days, Shapiro revealed his true colors: egoism. “I can tell you that her accounts are just blatant lies,” Shapiro claims, taking jabs at Harris and her failed bid for the presidency. His aloof profile, augmented by emotion, contrasts with his own belief in the future of the Democratic Party. 

Shapiro sees Democratic success in 2028 as dependent on two factors: competence and population exhaustion. More than anything, Shapiro believes authenticity and humility can repair the Democratic Party. This sentiment is echoed by his own supporters. Ann Phillips, a 3-time Trump supporter, is confident in Shapiro, stating, “Unlike most Democrats, he seems to actually care about regular people.” Building a political profile around trust, Shapiro’s work in Pennsylvania has created jobs and training across the state. His ability to transcend a Republican legislature has demarcated his results over resistance. However, this savior-esque image has come with contempt from his own party.

Behind closed doors, ill will ferments over the idea of Shapiro’s leadership. Collected over the years, Axios has pointed to the public-support and quiet grudges many politicians hold. Shapiro has been accused of pushing allies aside, with a Pennsylvania Democratic official stating, “When you first meet him, you have all these high hopes and see the aspiration and think you'll share it. But you kind of come away feeling either used or like a pawn.” Shapiro spokesperson Manuel Bonder has rejected this “non-story,” calling out its hypocrisy by highlighting how Shapiro has worked like a team player across partisan lines. Nonetheless, this Democratic acrimony hasn’t done him any good, as Harris aides factored complaints into rejecting his nomination as the Democratic vice presidential candidate. Still, the political climate is in Shapiro’s favor, because even if people, like Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, have criticized Shapiro publicly, his political capital has many afraid of the political consequences of turning on the Governor.

Thus, as the 2028 presidential elections approach, Shapiro is ready to rumble. At a time when the Democratic Party is seeking reinvigoration, it's likely Democrats will fall in line if Shapiro shapes up to lead. As a result, American politics will closely follow Shapiro’s governance throughout 2026/2027 to see if his theory for politics succeeds. For the Democratic Party, they can only hope his leadership can bring a miracle. 

Extemp Question: Despite inter-party criticism, will Josh Shapiro become the 2028 Democratic presidential nominee? 

Read more here:

• Tim Alberta, The Atlantic

• Holly Otterbein and Alex Thompson, Axios

• Binyamin Appelbaum, NYT