Gov. Shapiro asks Pennsylvania voters to choose ‘getting stuff done’ over ‘chaos’ as he kicks off 2026 reelection bid
“You deserve someone who goes to work every day focused on you and on getting stuff done,” Shapiro said at a rally in Pittsburgh.
Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro officially launched his widely expected bid for reelection Thursday, spending his first day back on the campaign trail in one of the nation’s most politically divided states by touting his achievements for workers, seniors, and schools while contrasting himself against Republicans in President Donald Trump’s Washington.
The Montgomery County Democrat presented his opening argument to voters Thursday afternoon in a highly produced campaign rally at a Pittsburgh union hall, before appearing Thursday night before Philadelphia voters at the Alan Horwitz “Sixth Man” Center in Nicetown.
Shapiro, 52, of Abington Township, will pursue his reelection bid by crisscrossing the state, boasting a high approval rating that Republicans hope to damage as talk of his potential 2028 candidacy continues to build.
» READ MORE: Josh Shapiro’s reelection campaign in Pennsylvania starts now — but 2028 looms large
Shapiro took the stage in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia following speeches from Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and a parade of public officials, labor leaders, and community advocates who touted his first term accomplishments, all delivering a similar message: Shapiro shows up and delivers for residents across the commonwealth.
At the Sixth Man Center, supporters and local leaders packed the event space in the youth sports center where Shapiro delivered a speech next to a huge mural of 76ers star Joel Embiid. Shapiro joked about his midrange jumper as he praised the center’s work.
“I am proud to be here on today to say that Josh Shapiro as governor of the commonwealth has delivered for us in a way that some thought … was impossible,” said Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker to an excited crowd.
The rollout signaled Shapiro’s campaign will be anchored in his administration’s motto, “Get S— Done," emphasizing that state government should be able to solve residents’ problems effectively.
“You deserve someone who goes to work every day focused on you and on getting stuff done,” Shapiro said.
He is not expected to face a primary challenger, just like in 2022, when he later cruised to victory in the general election against far-right State Sen. Doug Mastriano (R., Franklin). Mastriano, who had been teasing another run, announced Wednesday he would not join the race for governor.
This time, Republicans hope to take a stronger swing at Shapiro by coalescing around one candidate early. The state GOP endorsed State Treasurer Stacy Garrity more than a year in advance of November’s midterm election.
» READ MORE: Stacy Garrity gets state GOP endorsement for governor: ‘Help is on the way’
State Republican Party Chair Greg Rothman said in a statement Thursday that Pennsylvanians have had “enough of Josh Shapiro’s lack of leadership and broken promises,” noting several of Shapiro’s missteps in his administration such as his reneging on school vouchers, a $295,000 payout over a sexual harassment claim against a former top aide, and failing to send a month’s worth of state agency mail.
“[Garrity] actually gets stuff done, she doesn’t just talk about it on the campaign trail,” Rothman added.
Garrity has contended that Shapiro — a former attorney general, county commissioner, and state representative — is more focused on running for president in 2028 than leading the state.
“Josh Shapiro is more concerned with a promotion to Pennsylvania Avenue than serving hardworking Pennsylvanians,” Garrity said in a statement earlier this week, noting the state fared poorly in U.S. News and World Report rankings on the economy and education.
But that’s part of the appeal for some of Shapiro’s supporters.
Fernando Rodriguez, who works at Fox Chase Farm in Philadelphia, was eager to hear Shapiro’s stump speech. The 37-year-old didn’t vote for Shapiro in 2022 and had cast only one ballot for a presidential election, voting for President Barack Obama in 2008.
But he wanted to see Shapiro win reelection and, more importantly, go on to run for president in 2028.
“There seems to be some maturity, some presidential qualities to him,” Rodriguez said, noting that is particularly important given the direction of national politics.
Shapiro has not publicly acknowledged any presidential ambitions and is expected to keep a local focus as he campaigns for reelection. But on Thursday at his rally, he reminded voters that they have the ability to deliver not only a resounding reelection victory for him, but also the chance to flip control of the U.S. House and state Senate as Democrats target four congressional districts in Pennsylvania and other down-ballot offices.
Shapiro has already raised $30 million to support his reelection, which is likely to boost the entire ticket.
State Democrats hope Shapiro will be able to leverage his popularity and growing national brand to bring more voters out to the polls, in what is already likely to be an advantageous midterm year for the party.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do and it’s not just about reelecting the governor,” Eugene DePasquale, the chair of the state Democratic Party, said Thursday in Pittsburgh.
‘The hard work of bringing people together’
Offering an opening pitch to voters, Shapiro highlighted key themes he is expected to repeat during the next 10 months on the campaign trail: He’s protected Pennsylvanians’ freedoms and created jobs, with more work to do.
He noted several bipartisan achievements passed by the state’s divided legislature during his time in office, including a long-sought increase to the state’s rent and property tax rebate, historic funding increases for public education, and more. Pennsylvanians, he argued, have a simple choice in November.
“Will we continue to do the hard work of bringing people together to get stuff done, or will we descend into the chaos and extremism that has gripped too many other places across our nation?” Shapiro asked in his stump speech in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.
In Philly, the crowd gave this question a resounding “No.”
Shapiro’s launch drew a distinction between his style of leadership and that of Trump — whom Shapiro repeatedly called a danger to democracy prior to his reelection in 2024. Shapiro did not name the president during his announcement, but alluded to Trump — while noting his legal challenges against the Trump administration.
The move followed Shapiro’s oft-repeated tactic since Trump took office for a second time: Criticize his policies, while not alienating Trump’s supporters in Pennsylvania, as the state swung in favor of Trump in 2024.
In addition to his two campaign rallies, Shapiro kicked off his reelection bid in a video advertisement posted on social media. He led that off with footage from one of his biggest accomplishments from his first three years in office: rebuilding a collapsed section of I-95 in 12 days, in what was expected to take months.
The quick rebuild also featured in his speech in Philly, where he heaped praise on organized labor for its role in the reconstruction.
Notably, Shapiro’s video announcement included a focus on several issues important to rural or conservative voters, such as signing a law that ended the ban on Sunday hunting, hiring 2,000 more law enforcement officers, and removing college degree requirements for most state agency jobs. He also highlighted his work in helping to reopen the lone gas pump in Germania, Potter County, following an Inquirer report about its closure.
During his speech on the glossy basketball court in Nicetown, supporters began chanting “Four more years!”
“I like the sound of that,” Shapiro said, with a smile.