Pro-Palestinian activists are trying to prevent Vice President Kamala Harris from choosing Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a practicing Jew, as her running mate, according to a Thursday report from The New York Times.
Harris is reportedly vetting Shapiro to be the potential winner of her veepstakes. But activist and political groups like Uncommitted, the Democratic Socialists of America and IfNotNow are strongly objecting to his candidacy, The New York Times reported.
Some critics have started a website called nogenocidejosh.org in an effort to keep him off Harris’ ticket. Among their grievances are Shapiro’s previous comments critiquing antisemitic student protesters and his support for school vouchers.
Call @VP @KamalaHarris and tell her you will not be voting for her if she picks PA Gov. Josh Shapiro – the guy who likes to slash public education funding in favor of private/charter schools, and the guy who compared anti-genocide protesters to the KKK.
(202) 456-1111
— Josh | #AntiGenocide≠Pro-Hamas | (@TheJoshHill3) July 31, 2024
“Josh Shapiro has compared peaceful protestors to KKK ralliers, has opposed a ceasefire in Palestine, has promoted private school vouchers, and has covered up a sexual harassment scandal in his own office,” the website reads.
Another critic, the New Republic’s David Klion, wrote an article claiming a Shapiro selection would “fracture the party.”
While none of these criticisms outright point to Shapiro’s Jewish background, his position on Israel’s war are not significantly different from other potential vice presidential candidates. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: Harris VP Short-Lister Collaborated With Trans Lobby To Target Counselors Who Don’t Gender-Transition Kids)
Shapiro, while ardently stating Israel has a right to defend itself, has also echoed other Democrats in condemning the leadership of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom Shapiro called “one of the worst leaders of all time.”
His seemingly-moderate stance has led fellow lawmakers to point to bigotry as the reason for the opposition to him.
“Every potential nominee for Vice President is pro-Israel. Yet only one, Josh Shapiro, has been singled out by a far-left smear campaign calling him ‘Genocide Josh,'” Democratic New York Rep. Ritchie Torres tweeted Friday.
“The reason he is treated differently from the rest? Antisemitism. The antisemitic far left must never be given veto power over the selection of a presidential running mate,” Torres concluded.
Every potential nominee for Vice President is pro-Israel. Yet only one, Josh Shapiro, has been singled out by a far-left smear campaign calling him “Genocide Josh.” The reason he is treated differently from the rest? Antisemitism.
The antisemitic far left must never be given… pic.twitter.com/EE4HgRGzfQ
— Ritchie Torres (@RitchieTorres) July 26, 2024
But still, some within the Democratic Party view his potential selection as too problematic.
“He’s got a perfect storm on his hands when there’s less controversial options available,” Waleed Shahid, a spokesman for Uncommitted, told The Times.
“Naming Josh Shapiro would diminish that distance that we’re looking for,” Sara Abramson, a leader of IfNotNow’s Philadelphia chapter, told the outlet.