Josh Shapiro tells Maher he's 'damn proud' of being Jewish, dodges whether it factored into VP snub in 2024

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said he's "damn proud" of being Jewish but refrained from suggesting his faith played a role in being snubbed as the vice-presidential candidate on the Democratic ticket in 2024. 

On Friday's installment of "Real Time with Bill Maher," Shapiro was asked about how his religion factors in the current state of the Democratic Party.

"You were on the shortlist for vice president last time. Pennsylvania. And a lot of people said, 'Well, the only reason he didn't get it was because he's Jewish,'" host Bill Maher told Shapiro. "And there's a wing in this party that was very anti-Israel now, which is a big change in my lifetime, because the Democrats used to be a very pro-Israel place, and then it all got switched around. Do you think that's true?"

"If you ran [in 2028], if, wouldn't you- as somebody has to sort of, like, defend the Jews, like, outright?" Maher continued his question. "Because I just feel like there's a lot of tiptoeing back away from this issue. Like, 'We just don't want to go near it,' as opposed to saying ‘Well, actually, this is our friend in the Middle East.’"

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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro tells "Real Time" host Bill Maher he's "damn proud" of being Jewish. (Screenshots/HBO)

"Look, I'll just say one quick thing on that whole vice president thing," Shapiro responded. "I said all along that Kamala Harris had a deeply personal decision to make in that process. In the end, so did I. I love being governor of Pennsylvania, and I love charting my own course and being able to serve the people on my terms. That's point No. 1." 

"Point No. 2 is, as it relates to faith, as it relates to my Judaism. I'm damn proud of my faith," Shapiro said, sparking applause from the audience. "And I'm damn proud of the good people of Pennsylvania and how they received that." 

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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is already seen as a Democratic hopeful in the 2028 presidential race. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Shapiro, who is already being seen as a potential Democratic hopeful in 2028, went on to tell Maher that his first campaign ad featured him and his family at the Shabbat dinner table. 

"We did that because every Friday night, that's where we find ourselves, together as a family, celebrating our faith. We're proud of that," Shapiro said. "You know what happened, Bill, after we ran that ad? I'd show up in some of these rural communities where I might increase the Jewish population by 100% when I showed up there, folks would come over to me and they'd say, 'Hey, I saw your ad. Let me tell you what it's like on Sunday afternoon when I come home from church.' 'Let me tell you what it's like on Christmas Eve.' 'Let me tell you about our Iftar dinners that we have during Ramadan.'" 

He continued, "Folks were more open about it because I showed them truly who I am. I think the American people are a warm people. They are a loving people. I represent the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, founded by William Penn, who literally founded our Commonwealth on the promise of it being warm and welcoming to people of all faiths. I have a responsibility to carry that out, and I'm inspired every day by the way my outward expression of my faith is received by the people I serve."

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Critics suspected then-Vice President Kamala Harris chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate on the Democratic ticket over Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro was because he is Jewish. (RONDA CHURCHILL/AFP via Getty Images)

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As Maher referenced, Shapiro was among the final contenders in the veepstakes, but then-Vice President Kamala Harris chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate. 

Many critics suspected Shapiro, a popular governor in a pivotal swing state, was snubbed because he was Jewish as the progressive base of the Democratic Party fueled anti-Israel protests across the country following the Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Hamas. 

Shapiro said at the time "Antisemitism played absolutely no role in my dialogue with the vice president."

Harris ultimately lost Pennsylvania to President Trump, fueling speculation that she may have won the commonwealth if Shapiro had been on the ticket.