NEW YORK – House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) argued Tuesday that Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) was “overlooked” for the role as Vice President Harris’ running mate because of his Jewish heritage.
The comments — made during a wide-ranging interview with The Hill in New York City — came on the heels of news that Harris had picked Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) to be her vice presidential running mate, ending weeks of speculation about who would take second place on the Democratic ticket.
Johnson said Shapiro, one of the finalists in the race, “would have been a stronger choice” for Harris.
“I think that was clearly a major factor, is that she was reluctant to put a vice presidential candidate with Jewish heritage on the ticket because they were having a split in the Democratic Party,” Johnson said. “They have a pro-Palestinian, in some cases pro-Hamas, wing of the Democratic Party.”
“Unfortunately for Josh Shapiro, because of his heritage, I think that’s the reason he’s been overlooked,” Johnson added.
Pressed on whether there was an anti-Semitic undertone to the decision — which some Republicans alleged — Johnson rejected it, but reiterated his view that Shapiro’s Judaism was an “important factor” in the decision-making process.
“I’m not going to call it that because I don’t — I just know that was a big factor,” Johnson said. “I think transparency was an important factor. And I think they made a political decision that is sad and that they will regret.”
Shapiro, who was the leading Jewish figure on Harris’ list of vice-presidential candidates, has been the target of intense scrutiny from the far left due to his stance on the Israel-Hamas war. Liberals insisted on their support for Israel amid the conflict and its handling of pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses.
The 51-year-old governor, who keeps kosher and attended Jewish day school growing up, has been staunchly pro-Israel during the war in the Middle East, but has also expressed his fair share of criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at one point. , calling him “one of the worst leaders of all time.”
Shapiro’s supporters were quick to point out that Shapiro’s stance on the war is similar to that of other vice presidential candidates, arguing that he was being targeted for criticism because of his Jewish heritage. The attacks, some argued, were fueled by anti-Semitism.
“It has been very noticeable that, of all the people she is carefully considering, the only Jewish candidate is being subjected to excruciating and very specific scrutiny, especially around his positions on Israel,” Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Florida ). , a Jewish lawmaker, said before Harris’ pick became public.
Harris, in a social media post announcing her selection, said she chose Waltz because of his “impressive” background and because “you see in no uncertain terms how that informs his record.”
“But what impressed me most about Tim was his deep commitment to his family: Gwen, Gus and Hope,” she wrote, referring to Walz’s wife and children. “Doug and I look forward to working with him and Gwen to build an administration that reflects our shared values.”
Shapiro, for his part, said Walz is “an exceptionally strong addition to the ticket.”
Johnson on Tuesday told The Hill that he believes it will be easier for Republicans to run against the Democratic ticket with Walz in second place, arguing that the choice of Minnesota’s “far left” governor further reflects the party’s liberal tilt. .
“It makes everything easier for us,” Johnson said. “He is a candidate and a choice of the extreme left. I honestly thought she might try to pick a moderate, but obviously she proved once again who she is.”
The President went on to state that Harris had “the most liberal voting record of anyone” during her time in the Senate, adding “this is who she is, these are her positions, she has radical positions that do not align with the American People. “
“And I think the selection of Walz just confirms that,” he said.
“Our challenges in the election cycle are to make these positions known and not allow them to try to hide their record, which they are already trying to do,” Johnson said. “And the more Kamala talks the better off we are, I think they recognize that so they’re trying to keep it hidden and on a teleprompter and very scripted. And we have a window of time to ensure that the American people are fully informed about who they really are.”
This story originally appeared on thehill.com read the full story
