Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (with microphone) campaigns for Democratic candidates outside the Montgomery County Courthouse, November 3, 2024 (Capital-Star photo by John Cole)
PHILADELPHIA— Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro spent the last Sunday before the general election canvassing Democratic candidates in southeastern Pennsylvania.
“Every day as governor I focus primarily on doing two things. First, we fight for your freedoms, and second, we live by three letters, GSD,” Shapiro said Sunday afternoon at a campaign event for Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, in Philadelphia. “We are focused on getting things done.”
“And I think this election is ultimately a referendum on those two things: which presidential candidate is really for our freedoms and which presidential candidate is going to get things done for all of us,” he added.
Shapiro promoted Harris’ economic agenda, saying it would boost both the middle class and entrepreneurs, while claiming that former President Donald Trump, the Republican Party’s nominee for president, would give “his friends” a tax cut and “the would fool most of you.” this room and makes things more difficult for us in Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker, also at the campaign event in Philadelphia, said she was excited about Harris’ “opportunity economy.”
To encourage support for Harris, Shapiro also pointed to President Joe Biden and the Harris administration as partners in making Pennsylvania the “clean energy capital of the world” and highlighted investments in affordable high-speed internet.
Shapiro pointed to Harris’ promise to codify reproductive rights into law, contrasting Trump’s record in appointing the three Supreme Court justices who helped overturn Roe v. Wade.
Shapiro, who was reportedly shortlisted for vice president after Harris emerged as the candidate at the top of the list, referenced his long relationship with her as he expressed confidence that she is ready for the top job.
“I’ve known her for 20 years, she and I grew up together in this public service industry,” Shapiro, a former attorney general, said of Harris, who previously served as California’s attorney general. “I know what drives her. I know what she cares about when she says, ‘I’m here for the people,’ that’s real, whether it’s about economic policy or our fight for freedom, she’s the real deal.”
Shapiro cited some history during his speech, mentioning William Penn who founded Pennsylvania on the basis of religious tolerance and the promise of integration.
“I’m not sure Penn could have ever imagined that as a Jewish governor I would be standing in a black-owned business and talking to all of you about an AAPI woman running for president of the United States,” he said to applause . “He would be proud of that.”
While the presidential race for Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes is making headlines nationally, U.S. Sen. Bob Casey’s (D-Pa.) campaign for a fourth term against Republican challenger Dave McCormick could determine which party will win the majority in 2025. Room has. past.
Shapiro joined Casey for a campaign rally in Montgomery County on Sunday afternoon, promoting investments in Pennsylvania under legislation he is supporting in the Senate.
“It’s very important that you know this about Senator Casey of I-95 when it collapsed and we rebuilt it in 12 days. It was funded 100% by federal dollars that Senator Casey appropriated in Pennsylvania this year,” Shapiro told reporters.
He also said the state repaired more bridges than any other state last year, expanding affordable high-speed internet and providing clean drinking water were examples of Casey’s work being done in the state.
“I know it’s hard sometimes. You hear a vote being cast and you wonder how that will impact your life,” Shapiro said. “This is common sense.”
“These guys are ready,” he added, standing next to Casey and U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-4th District). “We need them here, and we urgently need to continue making progress in Pennsylvania, and they are a big reason why we can do that.”
Casey’s best race since winning a U.S. Senate seat was in 2012, when he defeated Republican Tom Smith by 9 points. His race in 2024 looks to be a close race, with national ratings Cook Political Report recently moved the race to the toss-up column.
This is the first time Casey has run for office when Trump is the Republican nominee for president. He said having Trump at the top didn’t change his race much, but pointed to another reason why he believes it has become a close race.
“This race is especially difficult because it is not something the presidential candidate did, or even what my opponent did. It’s an exciting race for one reason. There are three super PACs in this state that are spending a record amount of money trying to destroy me. That’s why it’s close,” he told reporters. “And having over a hundred million dollars dumped on your head is going to be close, no matter who you are.”
Still, Casey and Shapiro were optimistic about his chances and about Harris.
“But on Tuesday we are going to beat these billionaires. I want to beat those billionaires almost as much as McCormick,” Casey said. “We’re going to beat them all on Tuesday, but it’s going to be a long night.”
“It probably won’t be decided until well into the early hours of Wednesday, but we are going to win this race because there is too much at stake for our Commonwealth and our country when it comes to rights and these fundamental issues about all Then we’re not going to help people, or they’re going to help the most powerful people on earth,” Casey added.
“I feel real momentum for the vice president,” Shapiro said. “I think it’s exciting to see the crowd that has formed, not just by the size of the crowd, the size of the crowd, but by their willingness to go out and take action, to go, to knock on doors to knock, put up a sign, talk to their neighbors. I think it’s very, very important to keep that momentum coming and I think she has it.
Earlier in the day, Shapiro attended a church service with first lady Jill Biden. He also visited a restaurant in Northeast Philadelphia to campaign for Sen. Jimmy Dillon (D-5th District) and state House candidate Sean Dougherty. Both seats are currently held by Democrats in a part of the city where Republicans want to make gains.
When responding to a question about why he chose the specific areas to campaign today, Shapiro said you shouldn’t “read too much into it.” He said he has campaigned across the state and country in “the races that matter most.”
“I wanted to make sure I was in Northeast Philly today because I need Sean Dougherty in the State House,” Shapiro said. “Remember, I have a one-seat majority in the House of Representatives, and we got all these things done with just one seat. And I think Sean’s race is going to be really crucial.”
“I think Northeast Philly is a pivotal place for Kamala Harris and Senator Casey,” he added.
The Trump campaign opened its first campaign office in Pennsylvania, northeast of Philadelphia, in Juneless than three miles from the restaurant where Shapiro campaigned on Sunday.
Both candidates on the Republican Party’s list of presidential candidates campaigned in Pennsylvania on Sunday. Trump led a meeting in Lancaster County and Vance held a meeting in Delaware County.
Both presidential candidates will be in Pennsylvania on the final day before the presidential election. Harris will hold rallies in Allentown, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Trump will rally supporters in Reading and Pittsburgh and Vance will be in Bucks County.
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