Shapiro soon was looking elsewhere: He ran for and won a spot on the three-member Montgomery County Board of Commissioners, where he was elected chairman, effectively the mayor of the populous and prosperous suburban Philadelphia area. And its also clear that hes by far the most dangerous. In a sign of his polish with Pennsylvanians, Shapiros margin of victory was substantially wider than that of John Fetterman, the Democrat elected to the states open Senate spot. More Campaign Legislative demographic data provided by Aristotle International, Inc. Vote Smart's mission is to provide free, factual, unbiased information on candidates and elected officials to. Just very, very moving.. He said hes not sure whether he will follow his father into politics but said he would like to serve in a role that would help the community. What separates Shapiro is his outsized success in a competitive race in a swing state a record that has insiders bandying about his name as a potential presidential candidate one day. Governor of Pennsylvania. And that we were better than that. Avi Maoz, Israeli politician and proud homophobe, resigns from deputy minister role, As Orthodox Union and other Jewish groups condemn settler rampage, many avoid mentioning Benjamin Netanyahu, Chuck Schumer and Mitch McConnell visit Israel and meet with Netanyahu amid looming crises, Israel bars EU parliament member from entering the country, Israeli government advances legislation that could all but eliminate judicial review, Large painting of Jesus at Merchant Marine Academy will be uncovered and moved to a chapel, Cleveland rabbi sentenced to prison for soliciting underage sex had a prominent Conservative rabbi as his character witness, Why American Eagle now has a mezuzah at its Times Square flagship. As the states attorney general, he appeared at a press conference to update the public on the little law enforcement officials knew in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. Now, he faces the new challenge of keeping them. Campaign Website. WebJosh Shapiro is a radical pro-abortion activist who has spent his career attacking pro-life Pennsylvanians, including the Little Sisters of the Poor, Catholic nuns who dedicate their lives to serving the elderly poor, said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. As Shapiro is sworn in Tuesday on a stack of three Hebrew Bibles including the one that was on the bimah when a gunman massacred 11 Jewish worshipers in a Pittsburgh synagogue in 2018 the novelty becomes reality: A Jewish day school grad and dad is now one of the most influential elected officials in the United States. Shapiro may have a baby face, but he is not a baby in the world of politics. Leading up to the January inauguration of Josh Shapiro and Austin Davis, the Shapiro-Davis Inaugural Committee held a series of four interactive contests that would give community members a chance to be part of the inauguration of Pennsylvanias next governor and lieutenant governor. It almost doesn't matter what denomination it is, says former Democratic governor Ed Rendell. However, even Shapiros critics respect his devotion to his Jewish faith and his family. Shapiro was born on June 20, 1973, in Kansas City, Missouri, and grew up in Pennsylvania. Behind closed doors, he met with the people who were waiting to hear whether someone they knew had been in the synagogue that day. WebHer father was an electrical engineer, her mother was an office manager and her stepfather was a veterinarian. Shapiros parents set a very good example for me to live a life of faith and service, he said. Unlike some before him, Shapiro hasnt downplayed his religion out of a fear of appearing different. At a rally, Mastriano said: "Josh Shapiro stands for all that is wrong with the Democrat Party. I am looking forward to campaigning across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to listen to your ideas, address your concerns and earn your vote. See, yall need to understand, you guys speak things into existence. Shapiro has echoed President Joe Biden's remarks on November 1 saying democracy is on the ballot this year. Moreover, he was born to Steven A. Shapiro (father), however, there is no information about his mother and early life. Likewise, he belongs to white ethnicity and holds an American nationality. Furthermore, Shapiro attended the University of Rochester and graduated from there with magna cum laude in 1995. He was in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and as chairman of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. 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. recalled to Philadelphia Magazine in 2007. However, even Shapiros critics respect his devotion to his Jewish faith and his family. Pennsylvania unions have donated $2 million to Attorney General Josh Shapiro so far in 2021. WebIf one of Pennsylvanias Senate seats becomes vacant, Gov. But Shapiro is intent on keeping it on for a little longer. Josh grew up in Pennsylvania, watching his parents serve their community his father was a pediatrician, and his mother was an educator. In 2011, Shapiro returned home to Montgomery County where he was elected to the Montgomery County Commissioners while Democrats took control for the first time in the countys history. Would they have done that if their boss didnt see him as their best possible opponent? From his stint as Pennsylvanias attorney general to his gubernatorial campaign ads to his victory speech, Shapiro has long woven his Jewish identity into his politics making him an archetype for a new breed of Jewish politician. Shapiro insists that Mastriano was on the glidepath to victory by the time the ad aired, even though public polling only showed him six points ahead (Thats not what we were seeing in internal surveys we were seeing him pulling away). Then, as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners in Montgomery County, Pennsylvanias third-largest, Josh led a fiscal and ethical turnaround. I have an ambition to get a little bit of sleep, to reintroduce myself to my kids, and then to serve the good people of Pennsylvania as their governor, he said. At the time, Shapiro had read that Andrew Torba, Gabs CEO, said Mastrianos policy was not to conduct interviews with reporters who arent Christian. (Mastriano, who did not respond to a request for comment for this story, said on Twitter that Torba doesnt speak for me and that I reject antisemitism in any form.) It angered Shapiro. Marcel Groen, a retired attorney on the economic development advisory committee, first met the new governor because he attended synagogue with Shapiros father. Who is Josh Shapiro? Despite his sufficient lead, Shapiro embarked on a six-day bus tour across Pennsylvania to meet with voters and further push his campaign policies. But asked by CNNs Dana Bash after the election if he wanted to make history as Americas first Jewish president, Shapiro demurred. Shapiro was the first freshman-elected student body president at the University of Rochester. Putting a spotlight on Mastrianos antisemitic connections is a way for Shapiro to make the case hes too radical. Josh Shapiro (D) will appoint an interim senator. Tom Wolfs transition team, and Rob Ghormoz, a senior advisor to Wolf, will also serve as senior advisors in Shapiros transition. If Shapiro can fend off the far-right firebrand, he would catapult into the position of one of the most prominent Jewish elected officials in the country and be talked about within political circles as a future presidential or vice-presidential candidate. Pressure they felt to make the sacrifice worth it. He keeps kosher and has Shabbat dinner at home every Friday something he says he refuses to let his campaign get in the way of. Shapiro won reelection in 2020, but was on the campaign trail again in 2021, this time for governor. None of them wears a kippah on the campaign trail or strictly observes Shabbat, as Lieberman did, but all infuse Jewishness in their public comments and personas. And we all kind of held hands and locked arms. (Mastriano renounced antisemitism, but pointedly, not Torba.) And I think hes the exact opposite.) But he refuses to cede Pennsylvanias churches to his opponent. Dad to four kids. So he said, my fallback from school was government, and he was the first sophomore ever to be student president at the University of Rochester, she said. His daughter got it for him on a recent trip to Israel. From "Bonusgate" to "Kids For Cash" and now to "Porngate" we can't help but feel frustrated with our democracy and its leaders. Perhaps Shapiros most direct antecedent is Joe Lieberman, the Orthodox former Connecticut senator who was Al Gores vice presidential running mate in 2000. It was not reality. He would be proved right. Shapiro and Davis have collaborated in recent years, including on an antiviolence initiative in McKeesport and on a police misconduct database set up by the AGs office in the wake of George Floyds killing. It almost doesnt matter what denomination it is. I've held dozens of meetings and forums across the Commonwealth in the past year. Copyright 2023 Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 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 His father was a pediatrician, and his mother was an educator. Roy Temple, who directed Gov. (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.) He continued: "And I think he poses a clear and present danger to democracy, our freedom, and our safety. He was fascinated when we talked about that.. He went to the University of Rochester, qualifying for the Division III basketball team, but soon realized that excellence on the Akiba court was mediocrity in an NCAA setting, she recalled. I'll stand up for consumers who get ripped off. Shapiro was born on June 20, 1973, in Kansas City, Missouri, to a father serving in the Navy, and was raised in Dresher, a part of Upper Dublin Township in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Now, Shapiro is in full governor mode, making appearances at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, choosing a bipartisan cabinet, and showing confidence that he can overcome Harrisburgs partisan gridlock that has plagued previous administrations. Anyone of any religious stripe was welcome.. I'll hold corrupt officials accountable for their actions and do my part to end the disgraceful behavior that has besmirched our commonwealth. I remember him standing up for everybody and being a part of everything, he said. And the families were desperate to find out if their loved ones were among the dead, and obviously, by that hour, it was becoming more and more clear.. 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