Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s Jewish faith could hurt Vice President Kamala Harris’ bid for the Democratic presidential nomination if he is picked for the ticket, CNN anchor John King suggested over the weekend.

King, who converted to Judaism in 2008, made the observation during a segment with CNN host Anderson Cooper, who asked King about the potential benefits and drawbacks of Harris picking Shapiro.

“He is certainly under consideration. I know that from key Harris allies. He’s a first-term governor, he’s Jewish, there could be some risks in putting him on the ticket,” King told Cooper, “but certainly some of our voters here in Pennsylvania [have] said, ‘Hey, we like Governor Shapiro. Give him a look.’”

John King pointing out that putting Gov Shapiro up as Harris’ VP could be a risk because he’s Jewish isn’t antisemitism, it’s pointing out the obvious, that the Dems are losing leftie voters over Israel. King was married to Dana Bash, he has Jewish kids.

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— Brian Lilley (@brianlilley) July 22, 2024

King’s comment on Shapiro’s Jewish faith drew attention online. While the anchor did not explain why he highlighted Shapiro’s Judaism, the Democratic Party has for months been rocked by anti-Israel protests that have turned anti-Semitic, as protesters express support for Hamas and the destruction of the state of Israel.

President Joe Biden has struggled to tamp down Democratic criticism of his administration’s handling of the war in Gaza. Progressives say Biden is too supportive of Israel, whose conduct in the war has also drawn criticism. Organizations including IfNotNow and Americans for Justice in Palestine Action worked with progressive lawmakers to push Biden toward a tougher position on Israel.

Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), and others have called for a ceasefire in Gaza while accusing Israel of committing “genocide” against Palestinian civilians. That accusation has been rejected by the Biden administration and conflicts with the best data of Israel’s military operations, which have resulted in a roughly 1:1 combatant-to-civilian casualty ratio in an urban setting where civilian casualties can make up as much as 90% of those killed, according to the Center for Civilians in Conflict.

Prior to Biden’s announcement that he was suspending his reelection campaign, Democratic Party leaders were concerned about activists protesting the White House’s position on Israel at the Democratic National Convention. In what may be a sign that Vice President Kamala Harris shares those concerns, one of her first calls to shore up support for her presidential bid went to Al Sharpton, a civil rights activist and Democratic kingmaker.

Sharpton has long been accused of anti-Semitism, not least because of his role in the 1991 Crown Heights riots that resulted in the fatal stabbing of Yankel Rosenbaum, an Orthodox Jew. During the unrest, Sharpton led crowds in chants for “justice” for a black 7-year-old accidentally struck and killed by a Jewish driver. In recent months, Sharpton has backed away from the pro-Palestinian wing of the Democratic Party, warning Democrats that rampant anti-Semitism on college campuses is costing the party the “moral high ground.”

If Shapiro were picked to run as vice president, he would be the first Jewish American on a presidential ticket since the late Joe Lieberman, who died in March. Al Gore tapped Lieberman as his running mate in 2000.

Other potential vice presidential picks for Harris include Democratic Govs. Andy Beshear (KY) and Roy Cooper (NC) as well as Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona. Harris’s team hopes to have a shortlist for the vice president to pick from within a week, according to King.