Rep. Khanna Campaigns in Pennsylvania, Praises Shapiro Ahead of 2028

Khanna's weeklong Pennsylvania tour signals early positioning for a potential 2028 Democratic presidential primary that could include the state's sitting governor.

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) began a weeklong campaign swing through Pennsylvania on Tuesday, July 29, 2026, publicly describing Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-PA) as a "formidable" potential rival in a future presidential race, according to a report by the Washington Examiner dated July 29, 2026. Khanna made the remarks after delivering a speech in downtown Philadelphia, where he was interviewed by the Washington Examiner.

Khanna told the Washington Examiner that he and Shapiro share similar backgrounds, both having grown up in Pennsylvania suburbs, and noted that his parents are "fans" of the governor. He characterized his relationship with Shapiro as strong. Neither Khanna nor Shapiro has filed a Statement of Candidacy (FEC Form 2) for a 2028 presidential campaign as of July 29, 2026, according to publicly available Federal Election Commission records.

Khanna, who represents California's 17th Congressional District in the Silicon Valley area, has been building a national political profile. He has appeared in early-voting states and engaged in public policy debates on issues including industrial policy and foreign affairs. His current House financial disclosures and FEC filings are publicly available at fec.gov and clerk.house.gov, though those records do not address any 2028 presidential intentions.

The Washington Examiner reported that Khanna declined to criticize Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) during the Pennsylvania swing, though the specific questions posed to Khanna on that topic were not detailed in the available source material. Fetterman's Senate voting record is publicly available through the Congressional Record at congress.gov.

What remains unknown: whether Khanna or Shapiro intends to formally enter the 2028 presidential race. Any such declaration would first appear as a Statement of Candidacy filed with the Federal Election Commission (FEC Form 2), which is searchable at fec.gov. The scope and full itinerary of Khanna's Pennsylvania barnstorm were not detailed in the available source material.