Shapiro’s Shadow Campaign: Taxpayer Funds Power National PR Machine

Originally published by RealClearPolitics.

As speculation around his presidential ambitions swirls, make no mistake: Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is already campaigning. And his national shadow campaign isn’t powered by donors—it’s bankrolled by taxpayers. 

Shapiro is sitting on a massive war chest backed by megadonors like Steven Spielberg, Reid Hoffman, George Soros, and Mike Bloomberg. But election law bars him from using those funds for a federal campaign. While other potential 2028 contenders have launched leadership PACs to test the waters, Shapiro has taken a different path: weaponizing the machinery of state government to build his national brand.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, Shapiro tripled the size of the governor’s communications staff compared to 2017 levels, now employing 21 full-time staffers dedicated to press, social media, and influencer outreach. This sprawling, taxpayer-funded PR team costs nearly $3 million per year—not including costs for overhead, events, and other hidden expenses. 

Read more at RealClearPolitics.