July 21, 2024 | 3:47 PM

• Ben Wasserstein/WITF
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  Howdy, I’m Ben, and I cowl the state Capitol. In an alternate universe, my bio would learn that I graduated from faculty, traveled to Bhutan and skilled in martial arts in order that sooner or later I might return and defend my metropolis from crime … like Batman.

  In actuality, I graduated from the College of Richmond in 2021 and joined WITF in June of 2023. In between I used to be down in Charleston, South Carolina on the Submit and Courier.

  I like serving to folks and, in my view, top-of-the-line methods to try this is to tell them. That’s why I like reporting and protecting politics.

  After I’m not working, you’ll most likely see me with my canine Ozzy, consuming an unhealthy quantity of espresso or visiting some native bars.

 PA Forged / Commonwealth Media Providers

Governor Josh Shapiro, Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis, and Division of Group and Financial Improvement (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger joined statewide tourism leaders at PNC Discipline in Lackawanna County.

Observe: This can be a breaking information story and shall be up to date as new data turns into out there.

As chatter grew final week in regards to the chance of Joe Biden quitting the race for president, Gov. Josh Shapiro’s identify repeatedly cropped up as a possible operating mate for Kamala Harris. 

Biden stated Sunday he’s dropping his re-election bid. Now that Harris has Biden’s endorsement to be the Democratic nominee, the deal with Shapiro and different doable operating mates will definitely intensify. 

Democrat conference delegates will in the end choose the get together’s nominee at their conference in Chicago subsequent month. 

The Washington Submit reported Saturday that Shapiro is amongst a number of potential VP picks being vetted in a course of funded by main Democratic donors. Others on the listing have been Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly.

Shapiro’s key asset might be his potential to assist ship the essential electoral votes that come from Pennsylvania. 

The 51-year-old Georgetown Legislation graduate was elected governor in 2022 by virtually 15 share factors over state Sen. Doug Mastriano, a high-profile Donald Trump supporter. Earlier than that, he was the state legal professional common and a state consultant from Montgomery County, simply north of Philadelphia.

He gained nationwide consideration following the I-95 overpass collapse in June 2023. The overpass was reopened round two weeks later. 

After the tried assassination of Trump in Butler County on July 13, Shapiro was once more within the highlight, even gaining reward for his management from GOP nominee for U.S. Senate Dave McCormick.

Chris Borick, director of the Muhlenberg Faculty Institute of Public Opinion, stated in an interview earlier than Biden stop the race that Shapiro was a “slam dunk” for the Democrats.

“He’s from Pennsylvania, essentially the most coveted swing state,” he stated. “He’s very fashionable right here, excessive approval scores as governor of the state and seen as a rising star throughout the [Democratic] get together.”

Borick stated Shapiro’s Pennsylvania ties give him a aggressive edge over Democratic governors similar to Beshear and Cooper.

“Kentucky, definitely not a aggressive state, North Carolina is pretty aggressive, however perhaps a bit of attain for Democrats,” he stated. “Pennsylvania is the Holy Grail of electoral politics proper now. And to have a preferred governor from that state in your ticket could be extremely coveted.”

Although Shapiro has served solely two years as governor, Borick stated which may not be as massive a weak spot as it’s for GOP vice presidential nominee JD Vance, who has been a U.S. senator for lower than two years.

“You may fall again on (Shapiro’s) work as legal professional common and make a case that he’s been engaged in a lot of these points for an extended time than lower than two years,” he stated.

As legal professional common, Shapiro inherited an investigation into sexual abuse by members of the Roman Catholic Church. His workplace launched a report alleging greater than 1,000 kids have been molested by greater than 300 monks for the reason that Forties.

Vance has a lot much less political expertise. Earlier than he was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022, he authored “Hillbilly Elegy” and served 4 years as a Marine. He additionally attended Yale Legislation and labored as an legal professional and as a enterprise capitalist.

Political strategist Samuel Chen of the Liddell Group stated final week that Shapiro’s brief political tenure might be an issue, although much less pronounced than Vance’s.

“Shapiro’s resume is each a power and a legal responsibility with regards to the electoral aspect of the problem,” he stated.

Chen, whose background consists of working for Republican U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey and Republican Gov. Tom Corbett, added that whereas Shapiro has had moments within the nationwide highlight, he’s nonetheless not a family identify. That’s a standing Vance achieved when “Hillbilly Elegy” grew to become a best-seller and the main target of widespread information protection as many conservatives related with its themes.

And voters dismayed by conventional politicians may be drawn to Vance’s lack of elected expertise, Chen stated.

Borick stated a shorter resume would possibly even assist for the reason that longer a politician serves, the extra blemishes might come up.

As governor-elect, Shapiro obtained presents from donors which have come below scrutiny. Chen cited courtside seats to the Philadelphia 76ers for instance.

Shapiro’s marketing campaign referred to as it a “political assembly.”

If Shapiro have been to hitch Harris and win, this may not be the primary time a Pennsylvania governor left workplace to serve within the federal authorities.

Following the Sept. 11 assaults, Gov. Tom Ridge joined President George W. Bush’s administration as the primary secretary of Homeland Safety.

If elected, Shapiro would develop into the highest-ranking Jewish politician in American historical past. 

Chen stated that would assist carry within the votes of many Jewish folks who felt disaffected by the Democratic get together in relation to protests of the conflict in Israel and Gaza.

If Shapiro have been to depart workplace earlier than his time period was up, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis would take the reins.

In response to Pennsylvania’s line of succession, Senate President Professional Tempore Kim Ward, a Republican from Westmoreland County, would develop into lieutenant governor. That may be the primary time the state’s second in command was not of the identical get together because the governor since Joe Scarnati, R-Centre, took over the position following the demise of Catherine Baker Knoll in 2008.

Quickly after Biden tweeted that he wouldn’t settle for the Democratic Get together’s nomination for a second time period, Shapiro tweeted a tribute to the president.

“President Biden is a patriot who has served our nation honorably within the Senate, as Vice President, and as one of the consequential presidents in trendy historical past,” the tweet reads, “President Biden has gotten an unbelievable quantity executed to maneuver our nation ahead, defend our democracy, and shield actual freedom. I’m proud to work by his aspect and am grateful for his management and his unwavering dedication to delivering for Pennsylvania — the Commonwealth that raised him.”

Shapiro talked about nothing about his personal future.

A group of interviews, images, and music movies, that includes native musicians who’ve stopped by the WITF efficiency studio to share a bit of dialogue and sound. Produced by WITF’s Joe Ulrich.