Social media explodes with theory Harris snubbed Gov. Shapiro as VP pick to appease anti-Israel wing of Dems

Politicians, pundits, and conservative voices reacted to news of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz being selected as the Democratic vice presidential nominee by claiming it is evidence that Democrats have a problem with antisemitism within the party.

"The Walz selection shows just how deep the Dems’ antisemitism problem runs," Manhattan Institute’s Ilya Shapiro posted on X after Walz was selected by Vice President Kamala Harris on Tuesday over Gov. Shapiro.

Shapiro, who is Jewish, was forced to defend his stance on Israel during the VP selection process after an op-ed he penned more than three decades ago, in which he wrote of being an Israeli army volunteer and disparaged the Palestinian people, resurfaced.

Many commentators have made the argument that Shapiro was ultimately not selected because of the wing of the Democratic Party that opposes Israel and its war against Hamas in Gaza.

DEMOCRAT CALLS OUT LEFT'S 'STRONG UNDERCURRENT OF ANTISEMITISM' IN ATTACKS ON POTENTIAL VP PICK SHAPIRO

"It’s amazing that despite America’s right, left, and center agreeing that Josh Shapiro was Harris’ best pick for VP, at the end of the day, Shapiro being Jewish disqualified him," former GOP Congressman Lee Zeldin posted on X.

"It says so much about the state of today’s Democratic Party."

"Let’s be honest," GOP Sen. Tom Cotton posted on X. "Kamala is the most anti-Israel member of Biden’s team, always siding with Hamas and Iran’s interests. Shapiro and Walz’s views on Israel aren’t that different. But Harris catered to her pro-Hamas, antisemitic base who opposed Shapiro because he’s Jewish."

"Kamala Harris did not pick Josh Shapiro because antisemitic progressives did not like that he is Jewish," NRSC spokesperson Mike Berg said in a statement.

"It was