As the cacophony grows louder and louder from the Democratic caucus for President Joe Biden to step aside as the Democratic presidential nominee, speculation swirls as to what would happen next should that scenario come to fruition.

While many pundits expect that Vice President Kamala Harris would assume the top spot on the ticket, that is not a done deal. And whoever becomes the Democrats’ nominee, their first responsibility would be to choose a running mate.

Could that be Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro?

The Commonwealth’s first-term chief executive has been mentioned among possibilities to serve on a 2024 ticket, should Biden make the choice to step away, joining Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, and Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly.

The elevation of Harris to presidential nominee would provide some continuity for the campaign, as the former California senator is already seen as the champion for reproductive rights for Biden-Harris. The first woman, the first Black American, and the first South Asian American to be elected to this position, it is difficult to see a scenario where the former prosecutor is not the choice of the party.

Recent polls show that Blacks overwhelmingly support Biden, while women are also an important voting bloc for the president and the party.

“I think a movement to nominate anyone but Harris in his place could create a lot of additional animosity,” said Jennie Sweet-Cushman, Associate Professor of Political Science at Chatham University. “She’s the heir apparent and should be treated as such. There’s about a month before the DNC and it would be prudent to have the new nomination plan well-established and agreed upon, so I would say he’d have to make a decision (if not an announcement) in the next two weeks.”

“I think the pressure is mounting on President Biden to step aside and, while I think he deeply wants to continue on that, the wave is building to the point where it will be hard to continue,” said Chris Borick, Professor of Political Science and Director of the Muhlenberg College Institute of Public Opinion. “I imagine if he does make the call to step aside it would be around the beginning of August to allow the party time to put in place the details of the process for replacement.”

With the addition of Ohio senator JD Vance as vice president on the Republican ticket, some view that move by former President Donald Trump as one to help the GOP campaign in the battleground states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin – the so-called “Blue Wall.”

Would a Democratic candidate for the top office in the land consider selecting a Pennsylvanian to help win one of those “Big Three”?

After all, Shapiro has embraced the concept of “showing up” in more rural parts of the state such as Butler, the site of the attempted assassination of Trump. The governor pulled in 43 percent of the vote from the community in 2022 gubernatorial race – eight points better than Biden did in 2020.

“I think meeting people where they are matters,” Shapiro said. “Understanding their hopes and their fears, their minds, the things that frustrate them, the things that excite them, and it makes me a better governor being in their community, listening to them, and then being able to take the lessons I learned there back to the capitol to make new laws, advance new policies, and get sh** done.”

“I’m sure if Harris were to become the nominee, her team would be looking at higher profile governors for that slot and swing states surely seem like fertile ground,” said Sweet-Cushman. “Conventional wisdom would suggest that selecting a VP from a battleground state might help the campaign in that state. History suggests otherwise.”

“If it were to be Harris, Gov. Shapiro would surely be on the short list but I doubt he’d ultimately be the VP candidate,” said Stephen Medvic, Professor of Government and Director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin & Marshall College. “I don’t think Gov. Shapiro would want the position. He’s only been in office for a year and a half and has a lot left to accomplish in the state.”

Berwood Yost, Director of the Floyd Institute for Public Policy and Center for Opinion Research at Franklin & Marshall College, agreed.

“It is hard for me to imagine that Josh Shapiro would want to be anyone’s running mate,” said Yost. “He would undoubtedly be a great choice given that he is a popular governor in one of the key states Democrats must carry in 2024, but what benefit would there be for him to take the position?”

Shapiro has been forceful in his position as a surrogate for Biden and backs the 46th president for reelection.

“His star is certainly rising and the potential of joining a ticket with uncertainty of success would be very risky if his goal is to eventually run for the presidency,” added Borick about Shapiro. “I think staying put as Governor and building a track record in the most crucial of swing states better aligns with his long term prospects.”

Pennsylvania has only had one Vice President in the nation’s history – George M. Dallas, a former Mayor of Philadelphia who served under James Polk (1845-49). The Commonwealth has had three native sons run for the office on major party tickets but end up short – Jared Ingersoll (1812), Richard Rush (1828) and John Sergeant (1832) – but none over the last 192 years.