It was not reality. He would be proved right. At 49 years old, Shapiro will be Pennsylvanias youngest elected governor since 46-year-old Dick Thornburgh. As soon as he got the job, OBrien named Shapiro deputy speaker. He led battles against Trumps efforts to limit entry to the United States of people from a number of Muslim-majority countries, and to keep Trump acolytes from overturning his 2020 loss in the state. In an interview last year with the Forward, , after a campaign event with union organizers, Shapiro said he understood organizing as an effective tool when he was 6 and he joined his parents in campaigning for the release of Jews in the Soviet Union. He attended high school at Akiba Hebrew Academy, now known as Jack M. Barrac I knocked on every door, Shapiro recalled to Philadelphia Magazine in 2007. ethical teachings excerpted from early Jewish writings. (Mark Makela/Getty Images). The more they tell me its impossible to fix, the more motivated I am to surround myself with smart, ethical people, build a coalition, lay out a strategy and see it through. If Mastriano wins, its a win for what Donald Trump stands for., The ad ends by asking: Is that what we want in Pennsylvania?. At a young age, Shapiro started a worldwide letter-writing program, known as Children for Avi, on behalf of Russian Jewish refuseniks. He became a mentor to the inchoate politician, who several years ago recruited Groens mother, a Holocaust survivor, to speak to incarcerated teens. At the Disney California Adventure Food and Wine Festival, you will find a palate-dazzling smorgasbord of cuisines and cocktails in which to indulge. Pennsylvania had one previous governor born with the surname Shapiro. A moderate Democrat, he also stood out for breaking with the establishment. I'm especially proud that in Montgomery County we put an end to annual taxpayer giveaways to Wall Street bankers. who express unabashed Jewish identities when campaigning among the broader public. In a county with more registered Republicans than any other in Pennsylvania, we showed that Democrats win when we can govern effectively and ethically. Luria and two others just left Congress: , who was defeated in last years primary after redistricting, and Ted Deutch, a Florida Democrat who made, the transition this year to leading the American Jewish Committee. (Mark Makela/Getty Images). It was, I mean, a spiritual moment, he says. Shapiros response to his opponent Doug Mastrianos Christian nationalism has not been to decry the entry of religion into the race; in some ways, he has amplified it. Abandoned by traditional GOP donors who view him as unserious, Mastriano hasnt aired a single television commercial during the general election. (. It almost doesn't matter what denomination it is, says former Democratic governor Ed Rendell. Shapiro and his family spent Monday volunteering at the Alexander Grass Campus for Jewish Life, which was hosting a Martin Luther King Day celebration for the region. It was, Groen said, typical of Shapiros approach to changing hearts and minds: Josh realized thats how you reach kids who got in trouble and who needed to understand life in a different manner, he recalled. The first Jewish governor in the history of Pennsylvania who ran for president also bore the last name Shapiro. He is leading on criminal justice reform, bringing activists and law enforcement together to launch a new statewide police misconduct data-base, taking on employers who steal from Pennsylvania workers. Shapiro has taken a widening lead in the polls by nine points against Mastriano. The moves may have backfired, said Schatz. Post Office Box 22635 So we became among the first counties in the U.S. to cut-out the Wall Street middle men, invest in low-fee index funds and boost the returns on our pension investments, saving taxpayers millions of dollars and ensuring stability to our employee's retirement funds. ", "We have to find ways to get to working together again," he said. We all have a responsibility to show up, stand up and fight for whats right. I'll stand up for consumers who get ripped off. Shapiro plans to post mezuzahs and have a kosher kitchen in the governors official residence Josh Shapiro speaks at his swearing in as governor of Pennsylvania on January 17, 2023. Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images Kathy ONeil, a voter who attended Shapiro's rally in Erie told NBC: "[Shapiro's] a champion of the people in Pennsylvania. Theres too much on the line. Shapiros friends and neighbors say his faith is not just genuine, but deep. From "Bonusgate" to "Kids For Cash" and now to "Porngate" we can't help but feel frustrated with our democracy and its leaders. I have a long track record of doing what's right and proven over time that I have the judgment and know-how to get the job done. Shapiros response has not been to decry the entry of religion into the race; in some ways, he has amplified it. Today, people in Montgomery County are once again proud of their government. No I really try not to take any of these things personally, and stay focused on what really matters, which is the people Im trying to represent.. I think it's fair to say that when I got to Harrisburg in 2005 not everyone was glad I had arrived. And that we were better than that. By 2016, Shapiro was running again, this time for attorney general. His father, Steven, is a pediatrician, and his mother is a teacher. The election will come down to this: who can lead the office with integrity, who has the judgment and executive experience to clean up a mess, and who has a track record of fighting for our collective values -- and I hope you'll join me in this campaign. Height. See full bio . In 2008, Shapiro was among just a handful of establishment Democrats who endorsed Barack Obama for president in a state that Hillary Clinton won in the primaries. Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvanias third Jewish governor, embraced his Jewish faith as he was sworn in as the states 48th governor on the steps of the state Capitol on Tuesday. Austin Davis, left, has announced that he will run for Pennsylvania lieutenant governor, alongside Josh Shapiro, right, who is the Democractic candidate for governor. Today Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro will become Pennsylvanias 48th governor. It was an erev-inauguration stop that made sense for Shapiro, elected in November over a Republican whose campaign was continually mired in antisemitism allegations. But then the conversations took a turn Aronchick didnt expect. It also stars his four kids and his wife, Lori, whom he refers to as his high school sweetheart., Shapiros ultimate victory was especially sweet to many Jews because he defeated a Republican, Doug Mastriano, who had centered Shapiros Jewishness, but not in a positive way. 14 languages. (The refusenik who was the focus of Shapiros bar mitzvah activism made it out in time to attend Shapiros bar mitzvah, which earned Shapiro Philadelphia news coverage.) Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro's wife Lori (shown here behind him) plays a behind-the-scenes role in his campaign while keeping a stable home Mastriano had allied with an outspoken antisemite, Andrew Torba, the founder of the far-right social media site, Gab, paying for promotion on Gab and accepting a donation from Torba. 1.78m. Pressure they felt to make the sacrifice worth it. out of touch with everyday Pennsylvanians, public polling only showed him six points ahead. He did not respond to JTAs requests for an interview. He says he doesnt want to tell anyone what to believe. (Ill be a governor that relies on my faith and my upbringing to actually look out for everybody, Shapiro says. His surrogates pivoted to claiming Shapiro was not a genuine Jew, with. I'll never be afraid to stand up and speak out about the plague of illegal guns that get into the hands of criminals and others who shouldn't have them. February 24, 2023, 12:01 PM. Attorney General Josh Shapiro, the Democratic Partys presumed nominee for governor this year, is endorsing a Pittsburgh-area state lawmaker to be his running mate and lieutenant governor. Joshua David Shapiro was born on June 20, 1973 (age 49 years) in Kansas City, Missouri, United States. He spent a few years of his childhood on a naval base while his dad worked as a medical officer, and then his Mastriano has claimed if elected he could "decertify every machine in the state with the stroke of a pen via the secretary of state" when it comes to the election process, requiring every Pennsylvania voter to re-register. I guess well find out, says Shapiro, adding that but no a serious answer to your question: I think Pennsylvanians are tolerant. Associated With. Shapiro impressed people in the district with his lowkey straightforwardness, said Betsy Sheerr, a Jewish lay leader and a Democrat who was friendly with both candidates, and that provided a contrast with Fox, who would shift his positions depending on the listener. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Campaign Website. That attitude allows the status quo to fester, for good people to be denied their rights and for some politicians and purported public servants to hold Pennsylvania back. Then, as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners in Montgomery County, Pennsylvanias third-largest, Josh led a fiscal and ethical turnaround. Oct. 8A father and son from Florida were arrested this week for committing multiple "distraction-style" burglaries throughout Western Pennsylvania, including in Butler, Indiana and Westmoreland counties, Attorney General Josh Shapiro announced. [1][2][3][4] He ran unopposed in the Democratic primary and defeated Republican nominee Doug Mastriano in the general election by a 14.8% margin. Shapiro centered his bar mitzvah on a letter-writing campaign to free a refusenik, a Jew whose intended emigration was blocked by the USSRs cruel bureaucracy, and he liked to ask Aronchick about the movement, about organizing activism. I believe deeply in the value of public service and want to make this commonwealth stronger for my family and yours. I felt very strongly, Shapiro tells me in the basement of the church after his speech, his navy blue suit perfectly fitted and his hair slicked back just so. My wife Lori and I were high school sweethearts and we've been blessed with four incredible children. People who know Shapiro say that the same ambition that pushes him to take on big fights (and might fuel a future run for the White House; he insists the rumors of his interest are not true) also has a downside. A week ahead of the election, Shapiro is in a double-digit lead compared to his Republican counterpart according to a survey released byMuhlenberg College/Morning Call. We guard Friday nights., Mastriano, a state senator who is widely seen as the archetype of the rise of Christian nationalism in the GOP, is courting MAGA-aligned Evangelicals and other conservative Christians. It offers a much-needed respite from the reactive, defense posture that has seized the community.. By submitting the above I agree to the privacy policy and terms of use of JTA.org. Shapiros Jewish expression, she said, was a way of actually relating to religious conservatives. Loyalty is not his strong suit. (Asked to respond to the charge, a Shapiro spokesman doesnt directly answer, saying his priority is the people of Pennsylvania.), A Pennsylvania-based public affairs consultant, who considers himself a longtime friend of Shapiro, was even more blunt to Philadelphia magazine: Nothing will get in his way or distract from that focus. After marrying his high-school sweetheart Lori and welcoming their first child, Josh returned to his hometown and successfully ran for State Representative. In his first publicized campaign ad, Shapiro said: I understand people feel like our politics are divided and broken right now, but we cant just take our ball and go home. Governor of Pennsylvania. Instead, he calls himself a populist.. Most of the folks there didnt vote for me in the past, didnt vote for Joe Biden, werent Democrats. 58 more days, he says the time between now and the election. 49 years. . Levin, his government teacher at Akiba, said Shapiro had a realistic assessment of his skills and what he needed to do to succeed. 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Indoor Winter Games, Proposed bill would ban using phones while driving, York to hold monthly Narcan distribution events, Colonial Park Mall in court over $200K in unpaid, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. We sang songs. The worst part the public reaction to each scandal is a combination of outrage and, "well what can you expect?' But that moment justified it. HARRISBURG Gov. We stood up for Democratic values, leading the fight against the Corbett Administration's discriminatory Voter ID plan and issuing the first marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples in Pennsylvania. In addition, you have heard a lot about Josh Shapiro and are intrigued by the rumors surrounding Joshs wealth. The Democratic machine killed off the deputy speaker title in 2009, leading the Philadelphia Jewish Exponent to muse, The Once-Lofty Shapiro; Has He Been Brought Down a Few Pegs?. Israeli Orthodox Jew raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for victims of settler riot, Wikipedias Supreme Court tackles alleged conspiracy to distort articles on Holocaust, This Purim, a space for queer Jews to celebrate their identities and dance the night away. Its fraying at the edges, and supporters accidentally tug on it sometimes when they go to shake his hand. (. ) There were, I dont know, easily over 1,000 people I dont know exactly how many people were there. No one ever worked for me who was as bright and focused, with such steely determination, Torricelli told The Philadelphia Inquirer last year. The surveyshows Shapiro leading with 54 percent support to Mastrianos 40 percent. Look who I saw! she said in an email, photos of hugs attached.). Shapiro doesnt think of himself as a moderate or establishment Democrat, the terms journalists often use to describe him. | Tom Wolf just endorse Josh Shapiro for governor in 2022? It was, Groen said, typical of Shapiros approach to changing hearts and minds: Josh realized thats how you reach kids who got in trouble and who needed to understand life in a different manner, he recalled. It is clear, back then and today, that he posed the clearest contrast. "I also see a whole lot of work we need to do to defend our fundamental freedoms, and protect our democracy.". I dont think I can respond to some unnamed source, he says. Five years ago, I ran to change the leadership of Montgomery County, and our victory in that election allowed Democrats to take control of our County government for the first time in 150 years. Josh Shapiro has been married to Lori since May 25, 1997. We need to stop treating diseases as crimes and redouble our efforts to provide treatment and go after those who commit serious crimes and make sure they are punished to the full extent of the law. Shapiros parents set a very good example for me to live a life of faith and service, he said. 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