Democratic governors rally for Harris in Pennsylvania

LOWER GWYNEDD, PA (CN) — Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer rallied for Vice President Kamala Harris in a Philadelphia suburb Monday.

Speaking to about 1,000 Harris supporters at Wissahickon High School in Lower Gwynedd, Pennsylvania, the governors touted the vice president’s achievements over the last four years. The two are working to drum up support for Harris in their respective swing states, which are critical to the Democrats’ efforts to win the presidency in November.

“She’s been fighting for the people of Michigan and Pennsylvania every day as vice president,” Whitmer said. “She’s done work to bring down the cost of insulin. She’s done work to add tens of thousands of manufacturing jobs right here over the last few years. Kamala Harris is the reason that we are making huge investments in infrastructure, in our roads and our bridges, from Harrisburg to Lewisburg.”

Shapiro added that Harris had been “battle-tested.”

“She is ready to not just be the standard bearer of our party, but to be the 47th president of the United States," he said.

In addition to voicing their emphatic support for Harris’ presidential campaign, the governors’ remarks focused on attacking Harris’ opponents — former President Donald Trump and his running mate, U.S. Senator JD Vance, whom Whitmer derided as “cronies,” “crooks” and “dangerous extremists.”

“Let’s be clear: Kamala Harris has more experience than the Trump-Vance ticket combined,” she said. “Between the two of those dudes, they only have five-and-a-half years — and it’s not public service, it’s self-service.”

Whitmer slammed Vance for statements he made in 2022 supporting a national abortion ban. While on a since-deleted podcast episode, Vance suggested Jewish philanthropist George Soros might fly Black women to California for abortions if their home states banned the practice.

“My grandma always said I need to find at least one good thing in every person, and so I’ll give JD this: He is efficient," she said. “In one sentence, he insulted women, Black people and Jewish people. That’s efficient, and that’s all I got.”

Shapiro didn’t spare the GOP ticket either, calling the legacy of Trump’s presidency “a record of failure” and criticizing the former president’s frequent verbal attacks on the country.

“He has shown us who he is,” Shapiro said. “He has shown us he’s a guy who doesn’t love this country.”

“I’ve got a message for Donald Trump: stop shit-talking America,” Shapiro added. “This is the greatest country on the face of the earth. Let’s start acting like it.”

Neither governor made any mention of Harris’ potential running mate — although both politicians reportedly sit atop the her “veepstakes” shortlist.

Whitmer previously told reporters she intends to see her term as governor through.

“I am not leaving Michigan,” Whitmer said on July 22. “I am proud to be the governor of Michigan. I have been consistent. I know everyone is always suspicious and asking this question over and over … I’m not going anywhere.”

Shapiro, however, has repeatedly declined to comment as to whether he is interested in the position.

“She will make that decision when she is ready,” Shapiro said on July 22. “And I have all the confidence in the world that she will make that decision, along with many others, in the best interest of the American people.”

Since Harris’ campaign began, several high-profile Democrats in the state have backed Shapiro to become her right-hand man.

At a a rally for Harris’ presidential campaign in Philadelphia Friday, multiple speakers praised the Pennsylvania governor.

“Governor Shapiro is the right choice — I said it — and a choice for uniting the states of America,” said Mark Lynch, business manager of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers’ Local 98.

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