In his interview with Andy Mehalschick of 28/22 News, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro expresses willingness to work with President Donald Trump on issues they agree with, and says that he wants to use energy to help create jobs in Pennsylvania areas that have been left behind.
Further, Shapiro says there’s an achievable balance between protecting the environment and unleashing the potential of energy.
Here’s the relevant exchange.
ANDY MEHALSCHICK: One of []Trump’s themes during the campaign was “Unleash American energy” and he mentioned Pennsylvania quite a bit – the whole fracking controversy with Kamala Harris. What’s your take on it, meaning when it comes to Pennsylvania. Do you have any concerns about that at all, because you’ve been really on top of the gas industry also, but what do you think moving forward?
SHAPIRO: I’m an all-of-the-above energy governor. I want to make sure that we utilize our unique standing… when it comes to energy to be able to create jobs and economic opportunity, particularly for communities that have been left behind.
…. It’s important to me that energy be central to the work that’s being done in Washington, and it’s certainly central to our economic development strategy here in Pennsylvania.
ANDY MEHALSCHICK: Could there be too much use of natural gas industry, too much less regulation. Are you concerned about that, at all?
SHAPIRO: I think if you go talk to any responsible gas company, they want regulation, but they want it to be consistent and fair across the board. And I think our administration in Pennsylvania has struck the right balance, protecting the environment, protecting people’s health, and also making sure that we can use our unique standing on energy to propel…. to create more jobs.
I hope that that balanced, all-of-the-above energy that we’ve taken in Pennsylvania is what the Trump Administration will adopt in Washington.
2028 TAKE-AWAY: Of course, one of Harris’ huge liabilities in 2024 was her flip-flop on fracking, and Shapiro’s moderate stance on energy was highlighted as a selling point for Veep, according to Axios. As Axios reported, he’s looked to build alliances with natural gas companies as governor, after having targeted them as AG.
One of those most important alliances split environmentalists in the state, but Shapiro is standing on relatively safe ground, at the moment, for 2028.
The Democratic party can ill-afford another crumble of blue wall states, and while leftward primary voters might not be for Shapiro’s “all-of-the-above, balanced” approach, they’re certainly mindful of the damage Harris’ flip-flop caused the party in 2028’s blue wall states.
And IF Democrats continue with South Carolina as their first state in the 2028 nominating primary (read here about the tussle over that), the intricacies of energy aren’t likely to play much of a role, starting off.
Here’s vid of the exchange, from 28/22’s interview.
