Governor Shapiro is fighting to elect Democrats up and down the ballot this November in order to protect our rights and freedoms and keep moving Pennsylvania forward

PENNSYLVANIA – This weekend, Governor Josh Shapiro traveled to Philadelphia, Lehigh, Bucks, and Montgomery counties to knock on doors, fire up Pennsylvanians, and talk with voters about the stakes of these November elections.

From rallying Democrats in Lehigh County and knocking doors in Bucks County, to firing up students at the University of Pennsylvania and speaking with Black women voters about what’s important to them in this election — Governor Shapiro is meeting Pennsylvanians where they are and continuing to show up for Pennsylvania.

Last night, Governor Josh Shapiro sat down with Pennsylvania Democratic Party Vice Chair Jamila Winder for a fireside chat highlighting the power of Black women in deciding elections and the importance of ensuring Black voices are heard and represented across the Commonwealth.

On Saturday, Governor Josh Shapiro fired up volunteers, supporters, and local leaders in Lehigh and Bucks counties to knock on doors, talk with their neighbors, and turn out voters in order to win up and down the ballot this November. He then joined U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Bob Harvie, and Eileen Hartnett Albillar in Lower Bucks to rally support and continue the fight to elect leaders who will fight for working families, lower costs, and hold Donald Trump and his enablers accountable.

On Sunday, Governor Josh Shapiro fired up students at the University of Pennsylvania, motivating young voters to get involved in the November election and use their voice to move Pennsylvania forward. Governor Shapiro later joined Pennsylvania Democratic Party Vice Chair Jamila Winder for a fireside chat highlighting the power of Black women in deciding elections and the importance of ensuring Black voices are heard and represented across the Commonwealth.

Governor Shapiro has been fighting tirelessly to protect Pennsylvanian’s fundamental rights and freedoms and put a check on the Trump Administration’s chaos, cruelty, and corruption that is hurting Pennsylvanians and making life harder across the Commonwealth. Now, he’s hitting the campaign trail to help elect Democrats up and down the ballot to win control of the U.S. House of Representatives, expand the state House majority, flip the Pennsylvania state Senate, and secure a trifecta in the Commonwealth so that they can get even more stuff done.

Read and watch below for some of what Pennsylvanians are seeing about Governor Shapiro mobilizing voters ahead of the November election:

MS NOW: Shapiro: Midterms Have To Be A Referendum On Trump’s Chaos

WFMJ: Gov. Shapiro, Hakeem Jeffries Rally For Bob Harvie 

WFMZ: Gov. Shapiro Campaigns in the Lehigh Valley

WTOP: Hakeem Jeffries Campaigns With Governor Josh Shapiro and Bob Harvie in Bucks County

6 ABC: Governor Shapiro Kicks Off Campus Launch in Bucks County 

MS NOW: Josh Shapiro is hoping his Pennsylvania gubernatorial re-election campaign has House coattails

• The Keystone State is home to four battleground House districts. If Democrats flip them all, it’s more likely than not they will control the House chamber next year.

• Shapiro has invested time and resources in winning those seats, — including campaigning this past weekend in Bucks County and the Lehigh Valley — the heart of two of those House districts.

• At the Saturday events, Shapiro barely invoked his GOP opponent in the governor’s race, which he is expected to win handily even though Pennsylvania is a traditional swing state. But he did — repeatedly — rail against President Donald Trump and the “chaos and the cruelty and the corruption” coming from his White House.

• “When he’s sitting behind a desk in the Oval Office, what’s he doing? He’s not thinking about how to get your healthcare,” Shapiro told the crowds. “He’s making deals that hurt you.”

• Pennsylvania, of course, voted for Trump just two years ago, helping return him to the Oval Office. But in an interview with MS NOW, Shapiro said he believes Pennsylvanians have “caught on” to the president’s “BS.”

• “You’re seeing a lot of folks realize that they cast a ballot for this guy, put him in the White House, and he turned around and screwed them over,” he said.

• Shapiro said he would “welcome” the president — or vice president — to visit Pennsylvania in the last few weeks before election day to campaign.

• “I think if they came here, it would not work to their benefit,” he said.

• Jeffries — who is poised to become House speaker if power changes hands in the House — told MS NOW that Shapiro has been a “great partner” as they’ve looked to make inroads in Pennsylvania’s key districts.

• “He identified the candidates very early on who we thought would be strongly positioned to flip these seats,” Jeffries said. “Bob Harvie was among those right at the top of the list.”

• And Harvie praised Shapiro as the “North Star” for “a lot of politicians in this commonwealth.”

• The latest polling suggests Shapiro could win re-election by more than 20 points against state Treasurer Stacy Garrity — in a state Trump won by just shy of 2 points merely two years ago.

• Shapiro told MS NOW that he wants to see Democrats in Washington “learn how to use their power.” He wants the focus to be more than investigations and oversight work.

• “Yes, make sure there is accountability for the president’s corruption,” he said, “but also remember the focus has to be on delivering for people, reducing costs, making healthcare accessible, making sure food assistance is available.”

• Shapiro told MS NOW he is preparing for the possibility of Trump trying to interfere in next month’s election.

• He said he fully expects that Trump will “go back to court to try and toss out votes. We’re very prepared for that.” He added that they’re also prepared for the possibility that Trump will send in federal troops to intimidate voters.

• “Our state police, our guard, and others have been part of our tabletop exercises to get ready. We’re communicating with other states as well,” the governor said.

• “Bottom line,” Shapiro said, “I’m going to make sure their vote is counted, and their right to vote is protected.”

• “Even while Donald Trump is trying to take it away,” he said.

The Philadelphia Inquirer: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Gov. Shapiro urge Bucks Democrats to get voters to the poll for Bob Harvie

• The stakes were clear for Democrats at a campaign rally in Lower Makefield Saturday, where Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries urged Bucks County party faithful to get voters to the polls for U.S. House candidate Bob Harvie in a heated race.

• “We can pretty much win back the House in this state,” Jeffries said.

• “The commonwealth is a big swing state, and Bucks County is a big swing county,” he said.

• Shapiro said he knew some residents were at the rally because of “cruel” healthcare cuts they want overturned.

• “One of the reasons I’m here is because I know if Hakeem Jeffries is the speaker, they’ll fight to reverse those cuts and look out for our neighbors,” Shapiro said.

• Shapiro was making his second consecutive weekend trip to Bucks, following a broader countywide rally in Middletown Township last Saturday that also included a push for Harvie.

• The race is one of at least four Pa. districts that Democrats are trying to seize from Republicans, who must defend their national House majority against a largely unpopular war with Iran, higher consumer prices, and rising interest rates.

• Working in the Democrats’ favor is the role that pocketbook issues could play.

• Bucks residents spend more time in their cars commuting to work than the state average and are well aware of higher gas prices. Before the U.S. attack on Iran, gas in the city and suburbs averaged $3.02 a gallon. That’s risen to $4.39 in Bucks, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic.

• Affordability was the theme of the afternoon, whether it was the prices of gasoline, diesel fuel, or ground beef.

• “We’re fighting for an affordable America,” Jeffries said.

Bucks County Beacon: Governor Josh Shapiro, Representatives Madeleine Dean and Hakeem Jeffries Headline Bucks County Rally for Bob Harvie

• Harvie was joined by prominent Democratic officials and candidates, including Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chair Eugene DePasquale, U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Gov. Josh Shapiro. The speakers made their cases to voters, emphasizing affordability, health care, government accountability and the importance of the congressional and state Senate races.

• Jeffries introduced Shapiro, who focused on the role Democratic victories in Congress and the state Legislature could play in advancing his agenda in Pennsylvania.

• “It’s not just to elect Bob Harvie,” Shapiro said. “It’s about doing good in our communities, our commonwealth, our country.”

• Shapiro criticized the Trump administration over rising prices, tariffs and the war in Iran. He argued that tariffs ultimately increase costs for American consumers and businesses and said the war had created additional economic pressures for families and farmers.

• He also criticized federal policies affecting health care, saying hundreds of thousands of Pennsylvanians faced the loss of coverage as a result of changes enacted by Congress and signed into law.

• Shapiro said a Democratic majority in the U.S. House would work to reverse those cuts.

• “I want a member of Congress like Bob Harvie who’s going to fight to cut costs in Pennsylvania,” said Governor Shapiro. “I want a member of Congress who’s going to stand up for our fundamental freedoms every single day. And I want a member of Congress who, after he takes the oath of office, his first vote is to make Hakeem Jeffries the next Speaker of the House of Representatives in Washington. Bob Harvie is going to do that, ladies and gentlemen. We need Bob Harvie in Congress.”

• He then turned to what he described as the administration’s broader pattern of chaos, cruelty and corruption, including concerns about personal financial gain by Trump and members of his family.

• The governor closed by encouraging attendees to remain engaged, volunteer and vote, arguing that the election would shape the direction of the state and country.

Politico: Brian Fitzpatrick won by 13 points in 2024. Now, Democrats smell blood in the water.

• [Democrats’] optimism that Fitzpatrick’s Democratic opponent, Bucks County commissioner Bob Harvie, can defeat the five-term incumbent was on display on Saturday afternoon, as Democratic House leader Hakeem Jeffries and Pennsylvania’s Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro hit the campaign trail in the leafy Philadelphia suburbs to drum up support for Harvie.

• “A lot of people look at this race and think, ‘Well, this is not really one that Democrats can win,’” Harvie told POLITICO after a rally in a middle school gym in Lower Bucks County, where supporters waved red signs emblazoned with the slogan: “Fire Fitz.”

• “Clearly they are wrong because Leader Jeffries thinks we can win it,” Harvie said. “Governor Shapiro thinks we can win it.”

• Jeffries’ decision to campaign alongside Harvie in the final stretch underscores Democrats’ growing bullishness heading into next month’s midterms, when they aim to retake control of the House of Representatives and usher in a 2018-style “blue wave.”

• “We are running through the finish line,” Jeffries told reporters after Saturday’s rally. “We take nothing for granted, but we are on the verge of taking back control of the House of Representatives.”

• “Bob [Harvie] is running a great campaign. Brian [Fitzpatrick] is running a tough campaign,” Shapiro told POLITICO at a separate stop with Democratic Party volunteers earlier on Saturday. “This is one that is going to be really close.”

• Shapiro, who is widely expected to sail to reelection next month against a relatively weak Republican opponent in state Treasurer Stacy Garrity, has also stumped alongside Harvie, as well as other congressional candidates in Pennsylvania this year.

• “[Shapiro] identified the candidates very early on who he thought would be strongly positioned to flip these seats,” Jeffries told reporters on Saturday. “Bob Harvie was among those right at the top of the list.”

• Asked about his involvement in congressional races on Saturday, Shapiro told POLITICO: “Success on election night isn’t just about reelecting me, but making sure we are winning all the way down the ballot.”

• A Quinnipiac University poll out last week showed Shapiro with a 25-point lead over Garrity. But asked on Saturday if Democrats risked being overconfident of their chances heading into election day, the governor responded: “I run every race like I am 25 points behind, and so I’m running taking nothing for granted.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Sheryl Lee Ralph tells Abington crowd that Black women will vault Josh Shapiro to reelection

• For 400 years, “in the worst of circumstances,” Black women have fed the hungry, healed the sick, entertained the public, and educated the children, Broadway star and Emmy-award winning actress Sheryl Lee Ralph told a crowd gathered in Abington Sunday afternoon.

• Ralph said it’s important for Black women to know their worth and never let themselves be taken for granted.

• Black women, she predicted, will help Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro win reelection this November.

• Ralph was one several prominent African-American women gathered at the Salem Adult Citizens Center, a nonprofit serving seniors that is operated by the Salem Baptist Church, a predominantly Black congregation in the governor’s hometown. The event also featured speeches from Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle L. Parker and Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton.

• Shapiro said he is indebted to several Black female legislators for their role in passing legislation to support improvements for women giving birth in Pennsylvania.

• “Black women have been literally the backbone, the bedrock, the foundation of the Democratic Party for generations and generations,” he said. “And you have understood issues, and you have understood circumstances, and you have understood moments in time, even when a whole lot of other people didn’t.”

• His first priority, if Democrats take control of the chamber, is to sign legislation raising the minimum wage in Pennsylvania to $15 per hour, up from the current $7.25, Shapiro said.

• “That’s why our politics matters. That’s why what we’re doing today matters, and that’s why your vote is so crucial in 23 days,” said Shapiro, who holds a commanding lead in the polls.

• On Saturday, Shapiro joined U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries in Bucks County to motivate voters in support of Democratic congressional candidate Bob Harvie, who is running in Pennsylvania’s 1st District, one of four key swing districts being targeted by both parties.

• Parker on Sunday praised Shapiro and called on the audience of mostly Black women to support him, saying he has always made sure they have “a seat at the table.”

• “I’m proud to be a Black woman supporting our Governor Josh Shapiro and the entire team that will help us secure a trifecta here in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” she said.

The Daily Pennsylvanian: The Daily Pennsylvanian: Penn Democrats hosts Gov. Josh Shapiro ahead of Election Day

• Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro visited Penn’s campus on Sunday for a meet-and-greet ahead of the November midterm elections.

• Hosted by the Penn Democrats, the Oct. 11 event drew roughly 100 attendees and featured a discussion from Shapiro about Pennsylvania’s role in the midterms, along with his policy priorities. Shapiro is running for reelection against Republican nominee and Pennsylvania State Treasurer Stacy Garrity.

• In his remarks, Shapiro spoke about the importance of achieving a Democratic trifecta — a Democratic governor, as well as majorities in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and State Senate — in the upcoming elections. That combination has not occurred in the state since 1992, he said.

• Shapiro also spoke about the responsibility party leaders have to “show up” and mobilize young voters before Election Day on Nov. 3.

• “You’ve got an ability to change the makeup of the Congress of the United States right here in Pennsylvania, but we can’t take young people’s votes for granted,” Shapiro said in a post-event interview with The Daily Pennsylvanian. “We’ve gotta show up, look you in the eye, ask you for it, and help you realize your power, and that’s what I hope people took away from the conversation today.”

• Shapiro said that during recent visits to college campuses, he has noticed an “infectious” sense of optimism among young voters.

• “There’s a belief in your skillset, a belief in your big brains and what you’re learning, that you’re going to be able to go out and use that for good in the world,” he told the DP.

• If reelected, Shapiro said he would begin the next legislative session by signing a bill to raise the Commonwealth’s minimum wage to $15 per hour and fully fund SEPTA and mass transit entities across the state.

• He also highlighted the need to increase affordable housing and codify rights for women to receive safe and legal abortions in Pennsylvania.

• “This is the kind of stuff we can do if we work together,” Shapiro said.

WFMZ: Gov. Shapiro holds launch event in Lehigh Valley along his campaign trail

• Gov. Josh Shapiro was back on the campaign trail today, and this time he made a stop in the Lehigh Valley.

• Shapiro visited Teamsters Local 773 for a Canvas launch event on Saturday afternoon.

• The governor was joined by State Senator Nick Miller and State House nominees Meriam Sabih, Jeff Warren and Rachel Cuevas.

• His main focus for this campaign has been working against chaos, cruelty and corruption.

• “Leaders are supposed to lead with kindness and be calm; they’re supposed to put people first. They’re not supposed to try and wreak havoc on our communities,” Shapiro remarked.

• “But listen, I’ve tried to be a Governor that stands up to the Chaos and the cruelty and the corruption, and I’ve made very clear that if you try to mess with a Pennsylvanian, you’re gonna have to go through me,” he added.

Patch: House Democratic Leader Jeffries Campaigns For Harvie In Bucks

• With 24 days until Election Day, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro on Saturday rallied alongside Bob Harvie in his campaign to flip Pennsylvania’s 1st Congressional District.

• During his remarks, Harvie highlighted the importance of this race for Democrats to take back control of Congress to tackle corruption and lower costs.

• “I am going to fight against the corruption that’s in Washington. We need to overturn Citizens United. We need to ban partisan gerrymandering in this country. We need to ban members of Congress – and the executive, and the judiciary – from trading stocks when they sit in those seats. We need to return this government to who it’s supposed to belong to, which is you,” said Harvie. “When I say I’m running for this seat, I think that offends Brian Fitzpatrick. It offends the Republicans because they think of it as his seat. They think it’s their seat. It is not their seat. This seat doesn’t belong to Brian Fitzpatrick. This seat doesn’t belong to the Republican Party. This seat doesn’t belong to me. This seat belongs to you.”

• Leader Jeffries and Governor Shapiro echoed the importance of electing Harvie and retiring Republican Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick.

• “A vote for the current congressman is a vote for the status quo. It’s a vote for more of the same. But a vote for Bob Harvie is a vote for dramatic change,” said Leader Jeffries. “It’s a vote to fight to make this country the best version of herself. It’s a vote to build an economy that works for everyday people here in Pennsylvania and all across the country. Bob Harvie would be a vote to fight to make health care affordable for every single American. And Bob Harvie, a vote for him is a vote to make Congress a check and balance on an out of control president.”

• Governor Shapiro added, “I want a member of Congress like Bob Harvie who’s going to fight to cut costs in Pennsylvania. I want a member of Congress who’s going to stand up for our fundamental freedoms every single day. And I want a member of Congress who, after he takes the oath of office, his first vote is to make Hakeem Jeffries the next Speaker of the House of Representatives in Washington. Bob Harvie is going to do that, ladies and gentlemen. We need Bob Harvie in Congress.”

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