Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is working quietly to block a progressive congressional candidate backed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, according to multiple sources familiar with behind-the-scenes discussions. The May 19 primary contest reveals deep fractures within Democratic ranks and hints at a potential rivalry between the two politicians should they both eye the White House in 2028.
The candidate drawing fire is Chris Rabb, a Philadelphia state legislator and vocal progressive who is one of three Democrats competing for a House seat in a heavily Democratic district. Ocasio-Cortez has fundraised for Rabb, posted social media endorsements, and plans to campaign for him in the district. Other progressive figures, including Senators Chris Van Hollen and Rep. Ro Khanna, have also backed him.
Shapiro, a centrist Democrat, has taken a different approach. While making no public endorsement or opposition, the governor and his team have privately signaled to allies that they disapprove of Rabb and are taking steps to block his path, sources said. Shapiro has specifically advised Philadelphia's building trades unions to avoid inadvertently helping Rabb by attacking one of his center-left opponents, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.
The tension between Shapiro and Rabb runs deep. Rabb has for years positioned himself as a gadfly to the moderate governor. In January, he posted on Instagram demanding that Shapiro end state collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and spoke at a protest outside Shapiro's book tour kickoff. In 2022, Rabb entertained calls from supporters to challenge Shapiro in the gubernatorial primary before ultimately declining to run.
Political operatives see Rabb as a potential liability for Shapiro's national ambitions. If Rabb wins the House seat, he would likely continue to clash with the governor on a larger stage, potentially complicating Shapiro's positioning if he pursues higher office.
"Chris is an actual problem for [Shapiro] for what he wants to be when he grows up," said one Pennsylvania Democratic strategist.
The primary also touches on one of the Democratic Party's most volatile issues. Rabb is a vocal critic of Israel, while Shapiro, who is Jewish, supports the country but opposes Benjamin Netanyahu's government. Some Democrats have accused Rabb of antisemitism, pointing to a December social media post suggesting a deadly attack on Israeli beachgoers was orchestrated by Zionists. Rabb's campaign said a former staffer was responsible and that the candidate strongly condemns antisemitism.
Shapiro's position in the race is complicated by his own relationships. Rep. Dwight Evans, an ally of the governor, is backing Stanford, another center-left candidate. However, Shapiro's friends in organized labor are supporting Sharif Street, the third contender in the race. The governor also has a strained history with Street, making a formal endorsement politically fraught.
Meanwhile, Shapiro's record shows a willingness to back progressive candidates on other battlefields. He has endorsed Bob Brooks, the Bernie Sanders-backed candidate in Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District, and aligned himself with a Working Families Party-endorsed city council member in Philadelphia.
A recent poll found Rabb trailing Stanford by only five percentage points, with Street further back. The survey was conducted by a group supporting Stanford. Whoever wins the May 19 primary is virtually assured of winning the general election in the deep-blue district, making the Democratic contest the real contest.
Shapiro's spokesman Manuel Bonder dismissed the characterization of behind-the-scenes maneuvering. "This is yet another D.C. story more focused on clicks than the reality on the ground in Pennsylvania," Bonder said. "The governor has not endorsed or opposed anyone in this primary and he looks forward to working directly with whoever wins to win in November."
Rabb's campaign declined to comment. An Ocasio-Cortez spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment.
Author James Rodriguez: "This primary is a proxy war between two Democrats who will almost certainly be sizing each other up in 2028, and Shapiro's invisible hand proves he's already thinking ahead."
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