Shapiro kicks off 2026 re-election campaign as 2028 White House buzz swirls

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro kicked off his 2026 re-election campaign Thursday, a move seen as a potential steppingstone for a Democratic presidential run in 2028.

In a re-election campaign launch video shared with Fox News Digital, Shapiro highlighted his pragmatic approach as governor to get things done for Pennsylvanians.

"We've gotten s--- done all across our Commonwealth to make a real difference in people's lives. Now, Pennsylvania is open for business," the governor said, repeating his unofficial slogan.

And Shapiro, who was high up on then-Vice President Kamala Harris' shortlist for running mate in the summer of 2024, after she replaced then-President Joe Biden as the Democratic Party's presidential nominee, pointed to the rebuilding of an interstate overpass that collapsed in 2023, shutting down one of the nation's busiest highways.

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"When disaster struck, others underestimated us. But I never did. Reopen and ready for travelers, just 12 days after a devastating collapse," Shapiro said in the video. "We cut through the red tape to get I-95 rebuilt in record time. We did it using materials from a Pennsylvania business and with the muscle and know-how of Pennsylvania union workers."

In the video, which showcases the governor's accomplishments, Shapiro also touts his bipartisan efforts, noting that "even with a divided state legislature — together — we've gotten a whole lot done on issues that have been stuck for decades. But there's always more to do — more people to help, more Pennsylvanians to protect, more bridges to build."

Following his video launch, the governor is scheduled to hold campaign kickoff events Thursday in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

Shapiro's launch comes two days after his campaign showcased their war chest, announcing that the governor hauled in $10 million in fundraising in the final quarter of last year and started the new year with more than $30 million in his coffers.

The governor, a former two-term Pennsylvania attorney general who defeated conservative state Sen. Doug Mastriano by 15 points four years ago in the key battleground state's gubernatorial election, is likely to face state Treasurer Stacy Garrity as his Republican challenger this November.

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Garrity, hoping to avoid an expensive and divisive primary, has already lined up endorsements and support from many Pennsylvania Republicans, including the backing of the state GOP. And Mastriano, who had been mulling a second straight bid, announced on Wednesday that he wouldn't run for governor this year.

"The truth is that Josh Shapiro ignored the problems facing hardworking Pennsylvanians to gallivant around the country to raise money from liberal billionaires," Matt Beynon, a top Garrity campaign adviser, told Fox News Digital. "Less than half of eighth graders read at grade level, over 3,000 of our bridges are deficient, and Pennsylvania families have one of the highest tax burdens in the country."

But Shapiro enters the new year with formidable approval and favorable ratings in public opinion polls, and his campaign, pointing to his fundraising, said the governor was "in a position of unprecedented strength."

A release from the campaign highlighted that the governor "is reporting the most money raised and the highest ending cash balance during the off-year ahead of an election of any Pennsylvania gubernatorial campaign on record."

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A sizable November victory by Shapiro in the high-profile general election swing state could give the governor momentum heading into what is likely to be a crowded and competitive race for the next Democratic presidential nomination. And that field could include candidates with much higher name recognition, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom and former Vice President Kamala Harris.

"Anybody who has shown any interest in running for president will absolutely be closely watched during this year's elections, and it's only natural that they'll be judged initially on their abilities in their home state," longtime Democratic strategist Joe Caiazzo, a veteran of multiple presidential campaigns, told Fox News Digital.

Behind the scenes, Shapiro spent part of 2025 increasing his grip on the state party. And he recruited and cleared the field for a handful of congressional candidates in Pennsylvania running in what will likely be crucial midterm elections in the battle for the House majority.

The governor also campaigned for fellow Democrats on the ballot last year in Pennsylvania, helping his party to convincing victories in the off-year elections. And Shapiro traveled to neighboring New Jersey to campaign on behalf of now-Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill in the high-profile gubernatorial showdown.

His efforts further raised his national profile and sparked further 2028 speculation.

But John Brabender, a longtime Republican consultant who is advising Garrity, had a warning for Shapiro.

"The political graveyard is full of candidates who have miscalculated and have tried to run for multiple offices at the same time," Brabender, who served as media consultant for President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign, said as he pointed to Shapiro's likely national ambitions.