Gov. Josh Shapiro attended the White House state dinner, showing his alliance with Biden remains strong

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and first lady Lori Shapiro attended the White House state dinner Wednesday night with other high-profile guests.

With cherry blossoms galore, the dinner celebrated the relationship between the United States and Japan. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attended the event with his wife Yuko Kishida. A tool of U.S. diplomacy, state dinners are hosted sparingly and saved for the nation’s closest allies.

The Shapiros were among more than 200 guests, including the Clintons, Jeff Bezos, and members of the Biden family. Paul Simon, who is one of first lady Jill Biden’s favorite artists, performed. The Japanese prime minister is also a fan.

Shapiro has been growing his national profile and, while he says he is focused on his current job, is often named as a potential 2028 presidential candidate. He is expected to be a key surrogate to President Joe Biden’s campaign in Pennsylvania this year.

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Shapiro won a decisive victory in the 2022 election, bringing in support from across the political spectrum in a divided swing state. He has maintained support even when Pennsylvanians are doubtful about the state of government.

The governor has vowed to do whatever it takes to get Biden reelected, and his attendance Wednesday night shows that their alliance remains strong.

Manuel Bonder, a spokesperson for Shapiro, said the governor and first lady were honored to attend the dinner.

“Japan is a critical partner to our Commonwealth — with hundreds of firms investing in Pennsylvania and helping to create thousands of jobs — and the Governor was proud to be there, promoting the Commonwealth’s connections with our ally Japan,” Bonder said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.