Josh Shapiro aims for a strong finish in a campaign with 2028 implications

At Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania, Governor Josh Shapiro stood atop the starting stand of a famous race track and waved a black-and-white checkered flag, symbolizing the end of one campaign while signaling the beginning of another. Shapiro, who is a potential candidate for the 2028 presidential election and was previously considered for the 2024 vice presidential shortlist, spoke to POLITICO about the importance of the upcoming election in Pennsylvania.

He expressed optimism, despite facing a potential double-digit defeat from Stacy Garrity, a candidate backed by President Donald Trump. Shapiro's campaign is significant, as it could lead to Democrats taking control of the House, the state Senate, and guaranteeing a Democratic trifecta in Pennsylvania for the first time since 1992.

Shapiro's approach to the campaign is reminiscent of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis's strategy of demonstrating dominance at home before expanding nationally. However, political strategist David Axelrod believes that DeSantis' delay in announcing his candidacy was a miscalculation. Shapiro is currently focusing on winning the governor's reelect campaign, while also nationalizing his message beyond Pennsylvania.

He expressed his desire to restore faith in democracy and empower citizens to shape the future of American dreams. Shapiro's gubernatorial reelect campaign is not receiving as much attention as some of the more competitive Senate races, but he believes that winning enough seats in Pennsylvania could change the balance of power in Washington and bring about important changes, such as raising wages for tens of thousands of Pennsylvanians.