The case for Tim Walz [View all]
Shapiro does not "win" you PA. (He doesn't lose it either, to be clear.) No VP candidate guarantees a state. It just doesn't work like that. There are plenty of good reasons to pick him, but he doesn't come with five points built in to win the election. I personally believe Tim Walz appeals to swing voters nationwide in a way Shapiro won't quite reach. Yes I am saying deploying Walz in Bucks county will be more effective than Shapiro. Yes I know that seems counterintuitive.
That doesn't mean Walz wins PA for you. It means that if Walz is more effective in swing counties in PA, he will be more effective nationwide. Walz has a depth and length of experience Shapiro doesn't have, so he is completely qualified, and connects with middle America.
Does Shapiro help the campaign? Sure. It isn't like there are weak picks, here. But I think Walz fills a role similar to Biden under Obama. Down to earth, collaborative, and willing to do nuts and bolts work.
Most of all, I see Walz, like Biden, getting the hard negotiations done when it comes time to pass legislation. We can't discount the relationships he built in Congress.
Bottom line: Josh Shapiro does not fit a profile of a VP. He fits the profile of a nominee which he may well be someday.
Just not this day.
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