Politicians, pundits, and conservative voices reacted to news of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz being selected as the Democratic vice presidential nominee by claiming it is evidence that Democrats have a problem with antisemitism within the party.
“The Walz selection shows just how deep the Dems’ antisemitism problem runs,” Manhattan Institute’s Ilya Shapiro posted on X after Walz was selected by Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday over Gov. Shapiro.
Shapiro, who is Jewish, was forced to defend his stance on Israel during the VP selection process after an op-ed he penned more than three decades ago, in which he wrote of being an Israeli army volunteer and disparaged the Palestinian people, resurfaced.
Many commentators have made the argument that Shapiro was ultimately not selected because of the wing of the Democratic Party that opposes Israel and its war against Hamas in Gaza.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro (L) speak to the press while making a stop at the Reading Terminal Market in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024. (RYAN COLLERD/AFP via Getty Images)
“It’s amazing that despite America’s right, left, and center agreeing that Josh Shapiro was Harris’ best pick for VP, at the end of the day, Shapiro being Jewish disqualified him,” former GOP Congressman Lee Zeldin posted on X.
“It says so much about the state of today’s Democratic Party.”
“Let’s be honest,” GOP Sen. Tom Cotton posted on X. “Kamala is the most anti-Israel member of Biden’s team, always siding with Hamas and Iran’s interests. Shapiro and Walz’s views on Israel aren’t that different. But Harris catered to her pro-Hamas, antisemitic base who opposed Shapiro because he’s Jewish.”
“Kamala Harris did not pick Josh Shapiro because antisemitic progressives did not like that he is Jewish,” NRSC spokesperson Mike Berg said in a statement.
“It was Harris’ first major decision as the nominee and she caved to the pro-Hamas contingency within the Democratic Party.”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz laughs as he stands with Fridley, Minn., Mayor Scott Lund during a visit to the Cummins Power Generation Facility in Fridley, Minn., Monday, April 3, 2023. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)
Despite not being chosen by Harris to be her running mate, Shapiro gave a fiery speech ahead of Harris and Walz speaking at a Philadelphia rally to kick off their swing state tour Tuesday evening, taking shots at former president and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and his vice presidential running mate, Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio.
“I lean on my family and I lean on my faith which calls me to serve,” Shapiro said during the speech. “And I am proud of my faith!”
“The only reason Josh Shapiro was not selected as VP is because he’s a Pro Israel Jew,” prominent Austin, Texas attorney Adam Loewy posted on X. “The Left would have melted down. There is simply no other reason you pass on the wildly popular Governor of the THE MOST IMPORTANT swing state.”
“They just couldn’t stomach a proud Jew,” Foundation for Defense of Democracies Senior Adviser Richard Goldberg posted on X. “There was no amount of apologizing for being Jewish and supporting Israel that Shapiro could ever do to be acceptable. That’s today’s Democratic Party.”
“The Left did it to Joe Lieberman,” Fox News contributor Ari Fleischer posted on X. “Now, they did it to Josh Shapiro. The D party is not home for strong supporters of Israel. It’s time for the Jewish community to recognize the power in the D party rests with its anti-Israel progressive base.”
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US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during a campaign event at Westover High School in Fayetteville, North Carolina, on July 18, 2024. (ALLISON JOYCE/AFP via Getty Images)
“If it’s not Josh Shapiro…they will have not picked Shapiro frankly out of antisemitism in their own caucus and in their own party,” Trump VP candidate JD Vance said on Tuesday morning before the pic was announced.
Fox News Digital reached out to the Harris campaign for comment but did not receive a response.