CAMP HILL, Pa. (WHTM) - Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro spent several weeks on the national stage as part of the "Veepstakes" that ultimately went to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. The experience certainly won't hurt Shapiro should he seek higher, if not national, office.

However, did criticism he faced from those within his own state hurt his chances of being picked by Vice President Kamala Harris?

Pennsylvania U.S. Senator John Fetterman reportedly lobbied against Shapiro joining the presidential ticket and was caught on video staying seated during Shapiro's fiery speech in Philadephia on Tuesday.

State Representative Emily Kinkead (D-Allegheny) took to social media saying there are many better options, calling Shapiro a thin-skinned politician and saying he wouldn't be comfortable in a "number two" role.

"You know," Shapiro said on Wednesday, "throughout my career, I've never played small ball. I'm certainly not going to start now."

Perhaps a bigger deal was his support for school vouchers, which angered teachers unions even though he's delivered record amounts of funding for public schools in this year's budget.

There are also Pro-Gaza and Pro-Palestinian members of the Democratic ranks who opposed Shapiro, who is Jewish and fiercely pro-Israel.

"I lean on my family and I lean on my faith, which calls me to serve," said Shapiro during the Philadelphia rally. "And I am proud of my faith now."

Shapiro also faced complaints that he didn't handle sexual harassment claims against a former staffer Mike Vereb swiftly enough and quietly settled the case. It's possible Harris saw the noise around Shapiro and decided Walz, a former teacher and gun owner, was a safer pick.

"Look, I'm not going to obviously get into our personal discussion, but the Vice President and I had really candid conversations," said Shapiro, who is believed to have a prominent role in the Democratic National Convention later this month in Chicago.