NEW YORK — Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Tuesday argued that Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) was “overlooked” for the role of Vice President Harris’s running mate because of his Jewish heritage.
The comments — made during a wide-ranging sit-down interview with The Hill in New York City — came shortly after news broke that Harris selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D) to be her vice presidential nominee, ending weeks of speculation over who would fill the No. 2 spot on the Democratic ticket.
Johnson said Shapiro, who was one of the finalists in contention, “would have been a stronger choice” for Harris.
“I think that clearly was a major factor, is that she was reluctant to put a vice presidential nominee on the ticket with Jewish heritage because they’re having a split in the Democratic Party,” Johnson said. “They have a pro-Palestinian, in some cases pro-Hamas wing of the Democratic Party.”
“Sadly for Josh Shapiro, because of his heritage, I think that is the reason he was overlooked,” Johnson added.
Pressed if there was an antisemitic undertone to the decision — which some Republicans have claimed — Johnson rebuffed, but he reiterated his opinion that Shapiro’s Judaism was a “major factor” in the decisionmaking process.
“I’m not gonna call it that because I don’t — I just know that that was a major factor,” Johnson said. “I think it was transparently a major factor. And I think they made a political decision that is sad, and I think they’ll regret it.”
Shapiro, who was the leading Jewish figure on Harris’s vice presidential shortlist, had come under intense scrutiny from those on the far left for his position on the Israel-Hamas war. Liberals hammered his support for Israel amid the conflict and his handling of pro-Palestinian college campus protests.
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 he has also voiced 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 singled out with criticism because of his Jewish heritage. The attacks, some argued, were fueled by antisemitism.
“It has been very noticeable that of all of the people that she is carefully considering, that the only Jewish candidate is getting excruciating, very specific scrutiny, particularly around his positions on Israel,” Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), a Jewish lawmaker, said of the far-left campaign against Shapiro before Harris’s pick became public.
Harris, in a social media post announcing her selection, said she picked Waltz because of his “impressive” background and because “you see in no uncertain terms how it informs his record.”
“But what impressed me most about Tim is his deep commitment to his family: Gwen, Gus, and Hope,” she wrote, referencing 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 he believes it will be easier for Republicans to run against the Democratic ticket with Walz in the No. 2 slot, arguing that the selection of the “far-left” Minnesota governor further reflects the liberal lean of the party.
“It makes it easier for us,” Johnson said. “He is a far-left candidate and choice. I frankly thought that she might try to choose a moderate, but obviously she has proven once again who she is.”
The Speaker went on to claim that Harris had the “the most liberal voting record of anybody” during her time in the Senate, adding “that’s who she is, that’s who her positions are, she has radical positions that do not line up with the American people.”
“And I think the choice of Walz, I think, just further verifies that,” he said.
“Our challenges in the election cycle is to make those positions known and not let them try to obscure their record, which they’re already attempting to do,” Johnson said. “And the more that Kamala talks, the better off we are, I think they recognize that so they’re trying to keep her hidden and keep her 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.”