Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro appeared to lose interest in the vice presidential slot shortly after a crucial meeting with Vice President Kamala Harris. Insiders close to Shapiro suggest that the interview did not live up to expectations, leaving a sour taste among his advisers.

Despite the high stakes, Shapiro revealed significant reservations about stepping away from his gubernatorial duties, a decision compounded by the lackluster interaction. Instead, Vice President Harris announced Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her choice for running mate, sidelining the electoral map in favor of energizing the Democratic core.

Walz, known for his down-to-earth demeanor and background as a schoolteacher and congressman, was swiftly picked over other contenders in a fast-paced search. The 60-year-old governor, a favorite among progressives and labor groups could resonate with Midwestern blue-collar voters—a strategic gamble by Harris.

The choice edged out Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, despite his strong pull in his pivotal battleground state, signaling a strategy to appeal more to voter values than geographic advantages.

Politico reported:

Why not Shapiro? By contrast, Pennsylvania Gov. JOSH SHAPIRO’s team felt that his own interview with Harris did not go as well as it could have. There was “not a great feeling” coming out of it, according to a person in touch with Shapiro’s advisers. A person familiar with the selection process told our colleagues that, after their meeting on Sunday, Shapiro called Harris’ team and made clear that he was “struggling with the decision to leave his current job as governor, in order to seek the vice presidency.”

On Tuesday, Harris officially selected her presidential running mate after weeks of intense speculation following Biden’s unprecedented decision to drop out of the presidential race last month. Prior to his time in the governor’s mansion, Walz represented Minnesota’s 1st Congressional District from 2007 through 2019. Walz was in office during the Black Lives Matter riots in 2020, which began in Minneapolis before spreading throughout the nation. Before a trial had occurred, Walz condemned Minneapolis Police Officer Derek Chauvin and said the infamous video of his encounter with George Floyd was “disturbing.”

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Shapiro responded to the announcement, writing on X, “My work here in Pennsylvania is far from finished — there is a lot more stuff I want to get done for our Commonwealth. Over the next 90 days, I look forward to traveling all across the Commonwealth to unite Pennsylvanians behind my friends Kamala Harris and Tim Walz and defeat Donald Trump. See you tonight in Philly.”

Political consultant Hank Sheinkopf told the The New York Post that Shapiro was deemed too controversial for Harris’ running mate due to his strong pro-Israel stance. In contrast, Walz was considered a safer bet, steering clear of potential political hotbeds. “The ticket would have been too pro-Israel. Harris doesn’t need a battle over Israel-Gaza,” said Sheinkopf. “She has to keep the progressives in the fold.”

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