Republican Governor Praises Potential 2028 Democrat Contender, Says He Would Be Good President

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox raised eyebrows during a joint interview with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro by saying he thought the Democrat would make a good president.

When asked if he thought Shapiro would make a good president during the CNN interview, the Republican governor said, “Yeah, I do.”

“I have to tell you, I think I’m very biased towards governors. I think governors make the best presidents,” Cox continued.

“I think there are a lot of governors in this country who would make great presidents, and I think he would be one of them,” he added.

Check it out:

‘Republican’ Utah Governor Spencer Cox gushes over Josh Shapiro—a likely 2028 Presidential candidate—on CNN, says he would be a good president:

“I think there are a lot of governors in this country who would make great presidents, and I think he would be one of them.”

WTF? pic.twitter.com/Ir4MYBUtUB

— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) December 10, 2025

Newsweek shared:

A high-profile Republican governor publicly endorsing the presidential potential of a Democratic governor is highly unusual, particularly as the fever around the 2028 presidential race intensifies.

Cox’s praise for Shapiro showcased rare bipartisan respect at a time when the American political climate remains deeply polarized.

As discussions about potential 2028 candidates heat up, these comments further highlight Shapiro’s rising national profile and the ongoing importance of pragmatic, results-driven leadership across party lines.

CNN said the two governors sat down for the interview together to condemn political violence.

The governors gave remarks on President Trump’s comments at a rally criticizing Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN).

Cox said Trump is “not interested in uniting the country.”

“He would tell you that, I think, if he were sitting here with us tonight,” he continued.

Footage below:

UT Gov Spencer Cox joins in with CNN’s Dana Bash and Democrat Josh Shapiro to tone police Trump over his comments about Ilhan Omar.

Cox later went on to say he thinks Shapiro would make a good President.

With Republicans like these… pic.twitter.com/x2H7S2x83z

— Western Lensman (@WesternLensman) December 10, 2025

More from CNN:

Shapiro said leaders have a responsibility to speak “with moral clarity,” which he said the president had failed to do.

“What he does – when he attacks a fellow American like that – is it sends a signal to others in this country that others can be scapegoated, others can be singled out, others can be targeted or, worse yet, others can become victims of political violence,” he said. “I think the president needs to do better.”

Cox and Shapiro sat down with CNN at Washington National Cathedral as part of a campaign to speak out against the rise in political violence, including recent attacks that have rocked their own states. In April, a man attempted to assassinate Shapiro and his family in an arson attack on the governor’s mansion. Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was assassinated on a Utah college campus in September.

Shapiro said he felt it was important to engage in the effort with Cox, whom he disagrees with on several issues.

“The antidote to the violence that we are seeing is for the American people to see that there are leaders who are able to disagree, but disagree in a constructive way,” he said.

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Watch the full interview below:

What do you think?