Pennsylvania Democrat Gov. Josh Shapiro has pushed back on claims made by former President Donald Trump that he was passed over as Vice President Kamala Harris' running mate because he is Jewish.
"He's trying to use me and he's trying to use other Jews to divide Americans further," Shapiro told NBC News after speaking to the Pennsylvania delegation at the Democratic National Convention. "Antisemitism played absolutely no role in my dialogue with the vice president. Absolutely none.
"It is also true that antisemitism is present in our commonwealth, in our country, and in some areas within our party, and we have to stand up and speak out against that."
Shapiro added to NBC that Trump was the "least credible person" when it came to making charges about hatred and bigotry.
At a rally Saturday in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Trump said Shapiro was passed over because he was Jewish.
"Now we can be politically correct and not say that," Trump said. "I could say, Well, they turned him down for various reasons.
"No, no, they turned him down because he's Jewish. That's why they turned him down."
Trump said any Jewish person who votes for Harris should have their head examined.
"If you see what's happening with Israel and Jewish people right now, there has never been a more dangerous time since the Holocaust," Trump said. "If you happen to be Jewish in America, there's never been anything like it. I'm seeing things, I can't even believe it. And we want to bring about unity and peace and everything else," he said.
The Pennsylvania governor was one of the finalists to be Harris' running mate, but she ultimately selected Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz amid concerns Shapiro's support of Israel could cost them votes.
Shapiro was originally considered a front-runner, a popular governor in a state considered a must-win for Harris.
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