Democratic strategist Van Jones on Tuesday said Vice President Kamala Harris chose Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate to appease "anti-Jewish bigots" and the "darker parts" in the Democratic Party.
"You can be for the Palestinians without being an anti-Jewish bigot, but there are some anti-Jewish bigots out there. And there has to be conversations about how much of what just happened is caving into some of these darker parts in the party," Jones said during a CNN interview Tuesday, shortly after Harris announced Walz will join her on the Democratic ticket.
Josh Shapiro, governor of key swing state Pennsylvania, had been widely seen as the favorite to become the Democratic VP candidate but came under scrutiny by progressive Democrats for his Jewish background and support for Israel in the war against Hamas.
Jones said that picking Walz over Shapiro helps Harris reach many young Democrats, especially Muslims and Arabs, who "have not felt seen by the Biden administration" and called the president "Genocide Joe" for providing military support to Israel.
"But you also have anti-Semitism that has gotten marbled into this [Democratic] Party," Jones added.
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D., Fla.) said before Harris announced her pick that it was "very noticeable" and "deeply concerning" that "the only Jewish candidate is getting excruciating, very specific scrutiny, particularly around his positions on Israel."
House speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.), meanwhile, described Shapiro as "a stronger choice" for Harris, saying that the presumptive Democratic nominee "was reluctant to put a vice presidential nominee on the ticket with Jewish heritage because they’re having a split in the Democratic Party."
"They have a pro-Palestinian, in some cases pro-Hamas wing of the Democratic Party," Johnson added. "Sadly for Josh Shapiro, because of his heritage, I think that is the reason he was overlooked."