Josh Shapiro Lost His Own Government Shutdown

Originally published by The Wall Street Journal.

Some herald Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro as the future of the Democratic Party. But in a budget battle in his own state, he just dropped progressive demands and caved to Republicans.

State leaders refused to agree on a budget for more than four months, sending the commonwealth into a de facto shutdown. Mr. Shapiro’s refusal to compromise with Republicans left schools, nonprofits, and local governments twisting in uncertainty, especially amid an overlapping federal shutdown. The result for Pennsylvanians was pain.

But for Mr. Shapiro, it was a PR opportunity. While the fight dragged on, he held press events across the state. He frequently made national media appearances to tout his leadership and cheer on the federal shutdown.

Read more at The Wall Street Journal.