Who is Josh Shapiro? A possible VP pick for Kamala Harris | background, family, net worth

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro is on the list of possible running mates for Vice President Kamala Harris, who is expected to secure the Democratic nomination during the party’s national convention in August.

Shapiro is one of the most highly rated governors in the state in recent decades, but does not boast much political experience at the national level.

Who is Josh Shapiro? A possible VP pick for Kamala Harris | background, family, net worth

Shapiro first made national headlines after the collapse of an I-95 bridge in Philadelphia last year, when he showed he could get things done by getting the bridge reopened in less than two weeks.

He faced the national spotlight again after former president Donald Trump was shot at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania earlier this month.

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Josh Shapiro’s early life

Joshua David Shapiro was born in 1973 in Kansas City, Missouri, and grew up in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of Rochester, and his Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law Center.

He won his first elected position as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, serving from 2005 to 2012.

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Josh Shapiro’s political career revs up

Shapiro was elected Attorney General of Pennsylvania in 2016 and took office in January 2017. He was re-elected for a second term in 2020.

As Attorney General, Shapiro gained national attention for his work on several high-profile issues, including a Catholic Church abuse scandal, where he led a landmark investigation into child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church in Pennsylvania.

The probe resulted in a grand jury report that exposed decades of abuse and cover-ups.

Shapiro also took legal action against pharmaceutical companies for their role in the opioid epidemic and focused on protecting consumers from predatory practices.

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The 51-year-old was elected governor of Pennsylvania in November 2022, and was inaugurated as the 48th governor of the state in January last year.

His popularity as governor and the importance of Pennsylvania as a swing state are factors that make him a possible candidate for vice president.

As Pennsylvania governor, Shapiro earns $237,679 a year, a salary that ranks among the highest for governors, coming in third after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul at $250,000 and California Gov. Gavin Newson at $234,101.

Shapiro’s net worth has not been made available to the public.

Josh Shapiro’s personal life

Shapiro has been married to his high school sweetheart, Lori Ferrara, for 27 years. The share three sons and one daughter.