Gov. Josh Shapiro Isn’t Playing to the Crowd

Josh Shapiro is not known for sweeping under the rug or playing to his constituents’ sense of humor; rather he’s known as an aggressive governor with an ambitious agenda that’s not afraid to stand up against some of the state’s toughest bullies.

He successfully restored integrity to an office that needed reform and championed many people’s causes; showing they can rise above all odds to triumphant victory.

He Protects the Right to Vote

Josh Shapiro earned more Pennsylvania votes than any gubernatorial candidate ever before and this victory speaks volumes about people’s desire for a leader who listens and won’t back down from tough fights. Josh restored integrity to an office that had fallen into disrepair and is unafraid to enforce laws regardless of political affiliations.

Josh Shapiro is a champion for democracy, and as governor will strive to ensure every vote cast is secure, counted accurately and fully represented. To accomplish this goal he will appoint an experienced Secretary of State who can ensure fair and accessible elections as well as expanding pre-registration opportunities so 16 and 17 year olds can become engaged earlier in democratic processes.

He will also work to streamline how counties process ballots, following in the footsteps of states such as Ohio and North Carolina. Finally, he will block any effort to restrict no-excuse mail-in voting – a solution which has helped increase voter turnout across Pennsylvania.

Josh Shapiro led Montgomery County on an unprecedented financial turnaround as county commissioner, eliminating its $10 million deficit while streamlining investments to save taxpayers and retirees millions in investment costs. Josh has also worked tirelessly on behalf of LGBTQ+ rights while taking steps early steps against opioid crisis; as well as gathering activists, black community leaders, law enforcement together to address police misconduct issues.

He Fights Corruption

Josh Shapiro often used his campaign speeches to criticize corruption within state government, and as attorney general has made good on those promises by restoring integrity to an office that desperately needed reform and taking up big fights for Pennsylvanians – from uncovering child sex abuse by priests, to helping negotiate billions as part of a national opioid settlement deal.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced today that Westmoreland County sheriff Jonathan Held is facing criminal charges for ordering his sheriff’s department to solicit donations for his reelection campaign while on duty. Attorney General Shapiro’s action underscores his ongoing dedication to rooting out and prosecuting corruption throughout state government.

The Democratic move follows Shapiro’s ongoing prosecution of campaign finance fraud. Just this week, the state attorney general’s office filed criminal charges against Philadelphia political consultant Rasheen Crews for orchestrating “wide scale” signature forgery to place Democratic candidates on Philadelphia ballots.

Josh Shapiro’s office has not released details regarding any other defendants or details pertaining to the investigation, which remains ongoing. Spotlight PA inquired with Shapiro’s spokesman Manuel Bonder whether his over 300 transition team members will need to sign nondisclosure agreements prior to working on Governor Wolf’s administration; Bonder did not directly answer our query but stated that such groups often handle sensitive or confidential information that must remain protected, thus confidentiality agreements are common for such teams.

He Protects Women’s Rights

Josh Shapiro will fight to ensure women have access to essential health services – including abortion – including accessing reproductive rights services such as contraceptives and screenings which are vital components of women’s overall wellness. Josh will defend the Affordable Care Act’s requirement that group and individual health plans cover preventative services without cost sharing – such as birth control and screenings essential to women’s overall well-being.

He will fight tirelessly for women in our communities, ensuring victims of domestic and sexual violence receive justice while prosecuting perpetrators. Additionally, he will lead an awareness campaign about gender-based discrimination, while using his office as a bully pulpit to advance LGBT rights and equality across Pennsylvania.

But by emphasizing cultural issues that historically excite Republican voters (and may do so even more this year) so prominently and early in his campaign, he is taking an enormous political risk. And it remains uncertain whether his strategy will pay off; given that the Supreme Court appears set to roll back or completely strike down Roe v. Wade and that only Democratic governor veto power could prevent states from passing anti-abortion laws in individual states.

Josh Shapiro watched his parents serve their community, which inspired him to pursue a career in public service. He graduated from Rochester and put himself through law school evening classes while still working full time as a lawyer. Soon thereafter, Josh became Chairman of Montgomery County Board of Commissioners where he helped the first gay couples marry in our state as well as leading an ethical turnaround initiative that resulted in fiscal savings of millions of dollars and turnaround in fiscal accountability.

He’s a Leader

Josh Shapiro stands as an advocate for freedom amidst an atmosphere of growing division across America. At his inauguration this week as Pennsylvania’s 48th governor, he underscored bipartisanship and democracy while rejecting extremism and hatred with forceful arguments against extremist ideologies such as ISIS.

Josh Shapiro earned a strong reputation as both Montgomery County commissioner and then state senator as an effective consensus builder, successfully uniting police and black leaders to establish a police misconduct database, coercing two large insurance companies into reaching an agreement to ensure health care access for millions, and pushing through stricter ethics laws.

He’s doing much the same thing as Attorney General. He’s exposed 301 predator priests and their victims; combatted false voter fraud claims; upheld women’s right to choose; and prosecuted numerous corrupt officials – Republicans as well as Democrats alike.

As is true for Steve Fulop, another NewDEAL alumni, Shapiro has made it his mission to reach out to a broad spectrum of individuals and collaborate across parties. He even endorsed one of his fellow Jewish Democrats running for mayor in Jersey City–an endorsement he first offered when both served together in Albany politics as allies. Furthermore, both attended Jewish day schools: Shapiro graduated from Barrack Hebrew Academy (formerly Akiba) while Fulop attended Solomon Schechter Day School of Essex and Union in Edison.