Shapiro secures endorsements for VP from heavy-hitters in Pennsylvania

NEW CASTLE, Pa. (KDKA) — With Vice President Kamala Harris locking up enough support from Democratic delegates to earn the party's presidential nomination, who will be her running mate ?

The vetting process is underway , and Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is on the shortlist.

In New Castle on Wednesday, Shapiro said no matter what side of the aisle voters are on, they should know the state is a big deal in the upcoming election.

"The vice president now has a deeply personal decision to make, one that she is obviously quite familiar with because she went through it with then-candidate (Joe) Biden when she was selected," Shapiro, a Democrat, said.

Shapiro made history as the highest vote-getter in Pennsylvania gubernatorial history. And this week, he is securing endorsements from heavy-hitters like Pennsylvania Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton and Philadelphia Democratic Party Chair Bob Brady.

"While I am of course grateful for the kindness that Speaker McClinton and Brady shared, this is a process that the vice president needs to go through and make her decision based upon factors that she lays forward," Shapiro said on Wednesday.

Shapiro said he has not talked to Harris since their chat over the weekend. And to anyone who questions her rise as a front-runner, he said this:

"She has done an extraordinary job in the past 72, 96 hours of consolidating the party behind her," Shapiro said. "For anyone calling for any open process, I'll tell you, we had one and you know what, she kicked butt and she earned the support and she earned the nomination. And I'm proud to support her."