Pennsylvania governor candidates Shapiro, Garrity face off in debate, remain aligned on Israel

On Wednesday, Democratic Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and Republican challenger Stacy Garrity faced off in a gubernatorial debate, focusing primarily on Israel while diverging on other policy issues. Garrity, who served as Pennsylvania's state treasurer and now endorses President Donald Trump, acknowledged the third anniversary of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, which killed 1,200 people, including 49 Americans. She expressed her condolences for the innocent lives lost and the families affected.

Shapiro, a Jewish Democrat, also recognized the anniversary, emphasizing that Hamas, a terrorist organization, carried out the attack, resulting in the loss of 1,200 lives and 250 hostages. He called for unity against terrorism, hate, and antisemitism. Despite their shared stance on Israel, both candidates clashed on topics like the death penalty, voter identification, taxes, and tariffs.

During the debate, Shapiro criticized the current Israeli government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, urging Americans to hope that the Israeli electorate would not elect Netanyahu during upcoming elections. He stressed the importance of America maintaining a strong relationship with Israel, despite the Netanyahu government's actions.

Shapiro is considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate, and he was among the last candidates Vice President Kamala Harris considered for the 2024 election. However, he has faced antisemitism, including a website and social media feed labeling him "No Genocide Josh" for his support of Israel. In April 2025, an arsonist set fire to Shapiro's house hours after his family conducted a Passover seder, while a terrorist killed 11 people and injured six others at a synagogue in Pittsburgh while Shapiro was serving as Pennsylvania's attorney general.