Gov. Shapiro plays coy on VP rumors ahead of Harris' Philadelphia rally

WASHINGTON (TND) — Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he "hopes to be" at Vice President Kamala Harris' first rally with her soon-to-be announced running mate in Philadelphia Tuesday night.

During an event at Cheyney University Friday, Shapiro mostly dodged questions from reporters about his prospects of becoming Harris' running mate, though he did confirm the last time he spoke with her was last Sunday.

When asked by a reporter if he expects Harris to choose him, Shapiro said, “I think that’s a question for the vice president.”

Following up on reports that Shapiro canceled his weekend plans to go to the Hamptons, another reporter asked if he'll meet with the vice president this weekend.

“You all think I’m gonna tell you what I’m doing? Come on," Shapiro said laughing.

As a running mate, Shapiro would come with obvious advantages as the popular leader of a swing state that carries 19 electoral votes. A recent poll by Emerson College and The Hill found 49% of Pennsylvanians approve of Shapiro and only 31% disapprove. However, research from past elections shows there's usually only a small, if any, impact from a vice presidential candidate coming from a swing state. Take the 2012 Republican ticket: Mitt Romney's running mate Paul Ryan didn't deliver his home state of Wisconsin; then-President Barack Obama won the state by more than 200,000 votes.

If Shapiro brought even a small boost, though, it could be enough to tip the state for Democrats. In 2020, President Joe Biden pulled off a victory in Pennsylvania by about 81,000 votes and in 2016, former President Donald Trump won the state by about 44,000 votes.

For some progressives, however, Shapiro comes with serious baggage over his support for Israel. A new "No Genocide Josh" online campaign is soliciting signatures to "tell Harris and Democrats: No Josh Shapiro!" The group calls out Shapiro's crackdown on campus protests and opposition to a ceasefire. His position could hurt him in another key battleground state: Michigan, home to one of the largest Arab populations in the nation.

Whether Shapiro is Harris' pick or not, he'd be expected to show up to the Philadelphia on Tuesday as a show of party unity. The event will kick off a five-day swing state blitz for the new Democratic ticket.