Senator John Fetterman, D-Pa., is said to be cautioning against Vice President Kamala Harris selecting Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro as her running mate.
His aides have alerted Harris’ campaign to his apprehensions — particularly that Shapiro might be too primarily focused on “his own personal ambitions,” as reported by Politico, which referred to three sources close to the situation.
The conflict between Fetterman and Shapiro emerged during their time on Pennsylvania’s Board of Pardons, particularly concerning second chances and the commutation process for inmates, the report detailed.
Shapiro is among the top contenders for Harris’ running mate after President Biden revealed in July his intention to step back from the race.
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Senator Fetterman, a prominent figure in the Democratic Party, is signaling his reservations about Vice President Harris choosing Pennsylvania Governor Shapiro as her running mate, according to a recent report. (Getty Images)
However, Shapiro’s team emphasized the governor’s strong track record on criminal justice reform.
“The governor reviews all pardons cases on an individual basis, and during his tenure as attorney general, he granted more pardons and commutations than all of his predecessors combined over the past quarter-century,” Shapiro spokesperson Will Simons stated to Politico. “He takes pride in his accomplishments in advancing meaningful criminal justice reform while enhancing safety in Pennsylvania communities.”
One source noted that Fetterman maintains “full-on, enthusiastic support for Kamala Harris,” with his team expressing that the senator’s criticism of Shapiro is purely “an unfiltered assessment” that doesn’t hinge on policy discrepancies or other public controversies.
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In recent days, Shapiro has faced scrutiny over his position on Israel as the race to be Harris’ running mate intensifies. (RYAN COLLERD/AFP via Getty Images)
Shapiro has also been compelled to defend his views on Israel amid the escalating competition for the role of Harris’ running mate.
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The Philadelphia Inquirer revealed an essay by Shapiro that surfaced from his time as a student at the University of Rochester, where he graduated in 1995.
In this 1993 piece, Shapiro argued that “Palestinians will not coexist peacefully” because they “lack the ability to create a successful homeland, even with the support of Israel and the United States.”
Neither Shapiro, Fetterman, nor the Harris campaign responded immediately to Fox News Digital’s request for comments.
Fox News Digital’s Peter Aitken contributed to this report.
