Shapiro Says Democratic Primary Wins by Socialist Candidates Will Force Party Debate on Core Beliefs

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro said Sunday the election of socialists in Democratic primaries will force the party to have a battle over what it believes in. The Washington Times reported that Shapiro made the comments on CNN’s “State of the Union” while touring Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell and Carpenter’s Hall.

Shapiro said he has profound differences with Darializa Avila Chevalier, who won the Democratic primary for a U.S. House seat. Chevalier has called for abolishing prisons and ending deportations and attended a pro-Palestinian rally in 2023 that justified the Oct.

7 attacks, according to The Washington Times. Shapiro stated she is not someone he would agree with on many things or share similar values with. The governor characterized the recent wins by Chevalier and other socialist candidates as an important exercise.

He said the internal battle is something the party has not really done since the 1992 election cycle. Shapiro added that the candidates must now deliver on campaign promises rather than speak in platitudes. Shapiro blamed the nation’s current difficulties on the excesses and the corruption and the chaos of the executive.

He said the founders were worried about creating a government where a king could form again. An Emerson College Poll taken in late May 2026 showed Shapiro’s support at 10 percent in their 2028 presidential poll, up from 7 percent in February.