I think it's fair to say that when I got to Harrisburg in 2005 not everyone was glad I had arrived. PHILADELPHIA In one of the poorest neighborhoods in one of the poorest big cities in the country, blocks away from where a woman was gunned down just the day before, Josh Shapiro is singing with a group of Black pastors. More Campaign (Mark Makela/Getty Images). (her father, Jack, served as state auditor general from 2005-13). 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. Shapiros gubernatorial campaign launch last April was an ad in which he declared, I make it home Friday nights for Sabbath dinner, while the camera closed on challahs. Shapiro nominated Redding, the current secretary of agriculture, to return to the position. Shapiro, once again, got three million votes as he defeated Republican Doug Mastriano by 14 percentage points. Speaking to the dozen powerful pastors of nearby AME churches, all of whom could help him turn out critical Black voters in November, Rev. Schatz said Shapiro remained sensitive to the issues affecting the Jewish community, helping expand Medicare assistance for the elderly, instituting Holocaust education and targeting terrorist-backing countries like Iran for sanctions. Shapiros own parents, Steve and Judy, as well as other family and close friends were seated directly in front and facing the new governor. (Mark Makela/Getty Images). 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. Shapiro defended Obama when his former pastor Jeremiah Wright, came under fire for antisemitic comments. We took on the scourge of heroin infecting our communities, working with the head of the Pennsylvania Police Chiefs Association to devise a strategy for stemming the tide of narcotics overdoses and providing the life-saving Naloxone to first-responders throughout the county. HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) On Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023, a new Pennsylvania governor will be sworn-in in Harrisburg. Senator John Fetterman, former President Barack Obama, Josh Shapiro and President Joe Biden at a rally at the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, Nov. 5, 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. That was particularly hard for me as a person of faith, to see someone use the tools of their faith to abuse our children, he says. They have a daughter and three sons. He has advocated for stricter abortion laws and has compared the procedure to murder. Marcel Groen, a retired attorney on the economic development advisory committee, first met the new governor because he attended synagogue with Shapiros father. Instead, Shapiro said it is more important to educate and empower citizens to protect them. See full bio . Shapiro may have a baby face, but he is not a baby in the world of politics. 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. 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. In an attempt to appeal to moderate or right-leaning voters, Shapiro said he believed they got it wrong by shutting down businesses during the Covid-19 pandemic and said he disagreed with vaccine and mask mandates. Shapiro was pleasant, they say, but clearly on a track for greater things. After marrying his high-school sweetheart Lori and welcoming their first child, Josh returned to his hometown and successfully ran for State Representative. Josh Shapiro made a lot of promises on the campaign trail. | Photographs by Michelle Gustafson for POLITICO. Tom Wolf just endorse Josh Shapiro for governor in 2022? 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.. I became a thorn in the side of those who believed in politics as usual; those who thought that the lines between right and wrong could be changed to suit their political needs. All Rights Reserved. A moderate Democrat, he also stood out for breaking with the establishment. I'm proud of my record in Montgomery County, turning record deficits into consecutive budget surpluses while making new, critical investments in open spaces, infrastructure, human services, and public safety while reducing debt. He married his high school sweetheart Lori in 1997, and the couple has four children. We used to joke that John Fox was multiple choice, you know that one day he was pro-choice and the next day he wasnt, Sheerr recalled. Why didnt his obituaries say so? 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). He was in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and as chairman of the Montgomery County Board of Commissioners. 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. Campaign Website. Hes arrested more than 6,000 drug dealers while investigating and suing pharmaceutical companies and the CEOs who knowingly perpetuated the crisis to line their own pockets. His daughter picked one up for him when she visited Israel this summer. Perhaps Shapiros most direct antecedent is Joe Lieberman, the Orthodox former Connecticut senator who was Al Gores vice presidential running mate in 2000. Would they have done that if their boss didnt see him as their best possible opponent? Though he rejects that label, he has said the separation of church and state is a myth. Mastriano also has ties to antisemites, and this week he used an antisemitic trope, portraying Shapiro as out of touch with everyday Pennsylvanians for attending what he called one of the most privileged schools in the nation, a Jewish private school. Shapiro has echoed President Joe Biden's remarks on November 1 saying democracy is on the ballot this year. Disneys foodie extravaganza returns To keep people coming back year after year, you have to offer a tantalizing balance of old and new. It almost doesnt matter what denomination it is. "Which is to educate, empower and respect peoples personal decisions and respect their personal freedom to make those choices.". Unlike some before him, Josh Shapiro hasnt downplayed his religion out of a fear of appearing different. Married to my high school sweetheart. Associated With. I became Chairman of the third-largest county in Pennsylvania and in charge of a $389 million budget and over 2,300 employees. So he certainly understands the process, he understands the amendments, and really what it takes to get a bill across the finish line, Cutler said. Photo by Mark Makela/Getty Images By Jacob Kornbluh November 9, 2022 Youve heard me quote my scripture before, that no one is required to complete the task, but neither are we free to refrain from it, meaning each of us has a responsibility to get off the sidelines, to get in the game and to do our part, Shapiro said in his victory speech in November, referring to the famous passage in Pirkei Avot, the compilation of ethical teachings excerpted from early Jewish writings. And I think theyre understanding and inclusive and accepting.. That meant campaigning heavily where other Democrats dont often win and investing in communities across the state., Jill Zipin, a longtime Shapiro backer who leads Democratic Jewish Outreach Pennsylvania, said Mastrianos Christian nationalism did not play well in a state that was founded on religious freedoms. ", Shapiro responded in a campaign ad that described Mastriano as one of Donald Trumps strongest supporters., It continues: He wants to end vote by mail, and he led the fight to audit the 2020 election. Behind closed doors, he met with the people who were waiting to hear whether someone they knew had been in the synagogue that day. "There is no fight too big, no mountain too high to climb," Shapiro said while on tour in Beaver, Pennsylvania on November 1. It was not reality. He would be proved right. I understand the public's frustration because I feel it too. 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.. He didnt come out of nowhere. But we actually had a good conversation about faith and family., Former Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. WebJosh Shapiro (II) + Add or change photo on IMDbPro . 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?, Shapiros gubernatorial campaign launch last April, I make it home Friday nights for Sabbath dinner, while the camera closed on challahs. I just think its about pragmatism.". At 49 years old, Shapiro will be Pennsylvanias youngest elected governor since 46-year-old Dick Thornburgh. "But you cant, unfortunately, say that about the Democrats [at large]. Shapiro paid special note to the Temple staff present in the building and Fitzgerald's father Joel and mother Pauline. He was sitting at his kitchen table in Abington in 2018 when he heard the news: 11 people at the Tree of Life synagogue had been slaughtered and several others were injured. Post Office Box 22635 He can be angry about things, you know, he can find them offensive. (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.) In addition to the Tanakh from the Tree of Life synagogue, his swearing-in will, reportedly take place on a Bible used by a Jewish soldier from Pennsylvania, Police, security agencies advise Jews to be on alert ahead of planned National Day of Hate on Shabbat, American citizen killed in latest West Bank shooting amid escalating violence, This Orthodox Jewish model made history at New York Fashion Week. The bodies had not been identified yet, he says. out of touch with everyday Pennsylvanians, public polling only showed him six points ahead. In 2016, Josh successfully ran to be Pennsylvanias Attorney General. 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 we all kind of held hands and locked arms. 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. And I think Josh gets credit for being a good family man and a person of very strong faith., Amid a rise in antisemitic incidents across the nation, Shapiro is effectively making a bet that most Pennsylvanians are good, unprejudiced people. Web2,139 posts. Fresh out of his bar mitzvah, a 13-year-old Shapiro looked forward to his chats with Mark Aronchick, who was a leader with Joshs parents, Steven and Judi, in the movement for Soviet Jewry in the Philadelphia area. See, yall need to understand, you guys speak things into existence. But Shapiros faith and, now, Gab are also a part of his stump speech for a reason. 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. For Pennsylvania, its a new first family, for Shapiro its a new job, one that he cant wait to get started. 49 years. I'll take on the oil and gas drillers to ensure that our communities have safe drinking water -- and I'll join the fight to ensure the drillers pay their fair share for using our resources. Tom Wolf says he won't endorse anyone for Senate including his lieutenant John Fetterman", "Shapiro skates to Democratic governor's nod in Pennsylvania", Governors and executives of U.S. states and territories, https://simple.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Josh_Shapiro&oldid=8672914, Democratic Party (United States) politicians, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. He is a member of the Democratic Party. But that moment justified it. 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. That is not freedom. Mastriano, the spot hammers, is way too extreme.. He was the point guard so he was always the leader of everything, Eisenberg said. And hed do it by being a new kind of Jewish politician. Josh Shapiro net worth. Theyll treat my administration with respect and well work together to tackle the big challenges, said Shapiro. I want you to know that being up here on the pulpit means a lot to me and it is a place where I feel comfortable, says Shapiro. Aides texted reporters updates on the saga, and the campaign hosted press conferences with appalled Jewish leaders. Democrat Josh Shapiro, who won the Pennsylvania governors race, addresses the media after casting his ballot on Nov. 8, 2022. Shapiro had a short list of lieutenant governor candidates, which included Sims and Rep. Patty Kim, of Harrisburg, who Fresh out of his bar mitzvah, a 13-year-old Shapiro looked forward to his chats with Mark Aronchick, who was All content 1992 - 2021 Vote Smart unless otherwise attributed - Privacy Policy. We want them to grow up and prosper in a democracy they can trust. Nervousness and sadness they felt about leaving everything they had ever known to go into the unknown. At night, while I worked full time, I went to Georgetown University where I earned my law degree. February 24, 2023, 12:01 PM. Shapiro, a type-A attorney general running to be the Democratic governor of Pennsylvania, rocks in his pew. There were, I dont know, easily over 1,000 people I dont know exactly how many people were there. My first experience in public service came after graduating from the University of Rochester when I went to Washington and worked for members of the U.S. Senate and House. I mean, Im a Democrat. (Im not sure I see them as being that much different in the sense that we are talking about the same issues, Shapiro says.). Mary Altaffer/AP Photo. Levin, his government teacher at Akiba, said Shapiro had a realistic assessment of his skills and what he needed to do to succeed. Eisenberg was impressed by Shapiros leadership but not surprised Shapiro had been pulling together kids from across the playground since first grade, when they first met. Then, as Chairman of the Board of Commissioners in Montgomery County, Pennsylvanias third-largest, Josh led a fiscal and ethical turnaround. February 24, 2023, 12:01 PM. This was a pretty difficult group of kids, I dont mean problematic, but kids who like to argue, to debate every point, she said. I was determined to be a champion of good government. From left: Then-Democratic candidate for U.S. I dont believe any of them were Jewish. ", "Did Pennsylvania Gov. Akela Lacy July 12 2019, 8:18 p.m. Olive AME Church in West Philadelphia, Pa., on Sept. 10, 2022. He was the Attorney General of Pennsylvania from 2017 to 2023. What he said was, if, if I end up going to Washington, Im gonna do a Biden, you know, back and forth on the train, because its so important for my kids to remain at the school where I went to school. A while later he called back. This page was last changed on 5 February 2023, at 19:16. Josh Shapiro has been married to Lori since May 25, 1997. Non-violent offenders, particularly those battling addiction and mental illness, are clogging our prisons and costing us billions of dollars. Tune in to abc27 on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2023, for the latest on Shapiros inauguration. Josh Shapiro Net Worth: The market value of an individual or organizations asset is known as his net worth, and Josh Shapiros wealth equals the value of his assets. And the longer Mastriano has ceded the airwaves to Shapiro, the more Shapiros lead in the polls has grown. Pennsylvania was founded on religious pluralism, it was founded by Quakers, she said. He says that his campaign was getting a head start on the general election, despite the fact that the tone of the spot was less hard-edged than the ones he would put on air after the primary. Meanwhile, according to the ad-tracking firm AdImpact, Shapiro has spent or booked nearly $26 million on TV ads, much of it labeling Mastriano as beyond the pale. And it was just incredibly spiritual. Shapiros father is a well-known pediatrician in the Elkins Park area and his mother was active in the Soviet Jewry movement and they saw to it their son attended Shapiros friends and neighbors say his faith is not just genuine, but deep. As Attorney General, I'll lead the effort to restore integrity to our government. Today, Chief Counsel Joshua Prince and Attorney Dillon Harris filed suit against Attorney General Josh Shapiro and his Office of Attorney General for violating the Second Amendment and due process rights of hundreds of Pennsylvania residents, by failing, since his election as Attorney General in 2017, to timely hold Pennsylvania Instant Theres too much on the line. 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. In addition to the Tanakh from the Tree of Life synagogue, his swearing-in will reportedly take place on a Bible used by a Jewish soldier from Pennsylvania in World War II. Josh put the county back on solid financial footing, took early steps to combat the heroin epidemic, helped the first LGBTQ+ couples in Pennsylvania marry, and fired Wall Street money managers to save taxpayers and retirees millions. From "Bonusgate" to "Kids For Cash" and now to "Porngate" we can't help but feel frustrated with our democracy and its leaders. His work earned him a reputation as a rare public servant willing to take on the status quo a blast of oxygen in the smoke-choked back rooms of quid-pro-quo Harrisburg.. While we won this race and by the way, we won it pretty convincingly I want you to know, the job is not done, the task is not complete, Shapiro said during his victory speech, prompting 15 seconds of cheers and applause. mocked the Jewish school Shapiro attended and where he sends his four children, Mastrianos team, toward the end of the campaign, appeared to notice the resonance Shapiros beliefs had among Pennsylvanians. He was born to Steve and Judi Shapiro on June 20, 1973. No one ever worked for me who was as bright and focused, with such steely determination, Torricelli told The Philadelphia Inquirer last year. Shapiros response has not been to decry the entry of religion into the race; in some ways, he has amplified it. 1 saying democracy is on the campaign hosted press conferences with appalled Jewish leaders I feel it too Representatives as. There were, I dont know, he can be angry about things, you guys things... Al Gores vice presidential running mate in 2000 school sweetheart Lori and welcoming their first,! Nominated Redding, the current secretary of agriculture, to return to position... Leaving everything they had ever known to go into the unknown were there a reason staff present the! The race ; in some ways, he says administration with respect and well together... On Shapiros inauguration years old, Shapiro will be sworn-in in Harrisburg was by. 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