Democratic Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro’s campaign office on Thursday refused to answer if he would serve a full second term if reelected, sidestepping the question and insisting he is focused on improving the key swing state.
The nonanswer, coupled with a book tour set to begin later this month, will inevitably fuel the firestorm of speculation that he is eyeing up a 2028 White House bid — and gives his rivals fresh ammunition to question the popular governor’s commitment to the Keystone State.
Shapiro, whose last election loss was in the 11th grade, hit an enviable 60% job approval in October, his highest rating ever, according to a Quinnipiac University poll of registered voters in Pennsylvania.
He will face Republican challenger and staunch President Donald Trump supporter Stacy Garrity, Pennsylvania’s current state treasurer. Garrity has emerged as a GOP front-runner for 2026 after Republican Sen. Doug Mastriano (R-PA) announced he would not run for governor. Mastriano ran against Shapiro in the 2022 election and lost.
Garrity, a two-term incumbent endorsed by Pennsylvania’s Republican Party, slammed Shapiro in her campaign kickoff video, claiming he was more invested in getting into the White House than in addressing the daily problems facing Pennsylvanians.
“While Josh Shapiro has been spending his time running for president and fundraising in California and other liberal states, raising money from far-left mega donors like [Michael] Bloomberg and [George] Soros, critical problems in Pennsylvania have been ignored,” the narrator in the video said.
In another statement, she blasted the governor for being “more concerned with a promotion to Pennsylvania Avenue than serving hardworking Pennsylvanians.”
Announcing a reelection bid while leaving the door open to higher office has prompted at least one voter to accuse the governor not only of hedging but also of appearing disingenuous. Essentially, he is asking voters to rehire him in 2026 while planning to move on almost immediately, frustrated Philadelphia resident Barbara Titus told the Washington Examiner.
“Pennsylvania’s got enough problems, and the governor should focus on them full time, not use his reelection campaign to build up his profile,” Titus said. “If he’s going to run for the Democratic nomination, then run. Don’t use us as a stepping stone.”
California-based political expert Jamie E. Wright argued the opposite, telling the Washington Examiner that Shapiro should make the most of his time in the governor’s office, especially if there is a pivot toward a presidential run.
“For someone who’s looking at 2028, this is when you start to try to write the national narrative,” she said.
Political expert Jeff Le also weighed in, countering arguments that the governor may not be able to devote all of his time to statewide issues if he is criss-crossing the country to campaign for higher office.
“When President Trump and President Obama ran for a second term, did we call them part-time presidents?” Le said. “When Vice President JD Vance runs for president, is he a part-time vice president? Running for national office and seeking the party nomination while also serving as a seated governor will not be easy, but it’s been done.”
Democratic strategist Kaivan Shroff also questioned whether most Pennsylvania voters would even notice that Shapiro hasn’t committed to a four-year term.
“Shapiro is obviously running [for president], but I wonder how much folks really care that they serve the full term,” he told the Washington Examiner. “The key is to indicate that the succession plan would be strong and aligned on the issues. In Shapiro’s case, that means more scrutiny on his lieutenant governor.”
Shroff also highlighted Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), who is up for reelection in 2026, and has himself been highlighted as a possible 2028 contender.
“For Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ), I see it as less of a commotion in that [New Jersey] Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill will get to pick his replacement, and there would be a special election. Both [Shapiro and Booker] have really strong name recognition and are likely to win reelection despite any concerns they may not serve out the term.”
JOSH SHAPIRO LAUNCHES REELECTION CAMPAIGN: ‘KEEP GETTING STUFF DONE’
Le added that being in the governor’s office also gives Shapiro an advantage over some of his possible 2028 political rivals such as California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), who is termed out at the end of 2026, and Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear (D), who wraps his stint up at the end of 2027.
“They may face challenges to find meaningful ways to stay in the news cycle that a current officeholder does not necessarily face,” he said.
