Donald Trump is gearing up to rally voters on Saturday in northeastern Pennsylvania, aiming to secure the support of conservative, white working-class voters in a region close to President Joe Biden’s hometown of Scranton. Trump is banking on this area of the pivotal battleground state to boost his chances of reclaiming the White House.
Trump dominated his Democratic opponents in the 2016 and 2020 elections in Luzerne County, home to the blue-collar city of Wilkes-Barre.This Rust Belt region, also home to Biden’s native Scranton, provides a glimmer of hope for Trump as he seeks to capitalize on perceived Democratic vulnerabilities following Biden’s decision to step aside, paving the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to launch her presidential campaign.
Trump is expected to speak at 4 pm EDT on Saturday, just as Democrats prepare for their four-day national convention starting Monday in Chicago. The convention will officially welcome Harris as the Democratic nominee, a move that has energized the party’s base and presented a fresh challenge for Trump.
Throughout his campaign, Trump has been critical of Harris, particularly on economic issues. He has linked her to the Biden administration’s struggles with inflation and has likened her recent proposal to combat price gouging to measures seen in communist nations. Trump has warned that a federal ban on grocery price gouging, as proposed by Harris, would lead to food shortages, rationing, and hunger.
In Pennsylvania, a state rich in natural gas, Trump has repeatedly cited Harris’ previous opposition to fracking, an oil and gas extraction process. Although her campaign has since softened her stance, asserting that she would not ban fracking, her earlier position during the 2020 presidential primary has left some voters wary.
Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis said, “The energy has clearly shifted in a dramatic way toward Vice President Harris,” and accused Trump of merely engaging in “rambling rants” and personal attacks on Harris.
Harris plans to embark on a bus tour starting in Pittsburgh on Sunday, with a stop in the small town of Rochester to the north. Meanwhile, Trump has scheduled a visit to a plant in York that manufactures nuclear fuel containers on Monday, with his running mate, JD Vance, expected to campaign in Philadelphia on the same day.
Trump’s rally in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday will mark his fifth appearance at the arena in the city, the largest in Luzerne County, where he secured victories in the last two presidential elections. In contrast, Biden won in neighboring Lackawanna County, where he has often highlighted his working-class roots in Scranton.
Some of Biden’s supporters in the former industrial city of 76,000 residents expressed disappointment when party leaders pressured the president to step aside. Diane Munley, 63, said she called dozens of members of Congress to advocate for Biden. Although she eventually came to terms with his decision, she is now fully supportive of Harris.
“I can’t deny the enthusiasm that’s been going on with this ticket right now. I am so into it,” Munley said. “It just wasn’t happening with Joe, and I couldn’t see it at the time because I was so connected to him.”
Munley added that she doesn’t know a Democrat or independent in her circle who isn’t fully committed to Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. “We are all-in on Kamala Harris,” Munley said. “All in 110%.”
However, not everyone shares Munley’s enthusiasm. Robert A. Bridy, 64, a laborer from Shamokin, Pennsylvania, traveled to Wilkes-Barre to support Trump. He acknowledged that the race feels tight in Pennsylvania and noted that his union and a close friend have tried to convince him to vote for Harris and other Democrats, but he remains steadfast in his support for Trump.
“It’s close. You can’t change Democrats’ minds no matter what. They’ve got a one-track mind, and that’s it,” Bridy said.
He described Trump as a “working-class guy like us,” despite Trump being a billionaire who made his fortune in real estate. “He’s a fighter,” Bridy said. “I’d like to see the closed borders. He doesn’t mess around. He goes at it right away and takes care of business the way it should be.”
Trump dominated his Democratic opponents in the 2016 and 2020 elections in Luzerne County, home to the blue-collar city of Wilkes-Barre.This Rust Belt region, also home to Biden’s native Scranton, provides a glimmer of hope for Trump as he seeks to capitalize on perceived Democratic vulnerabilities following Biden’s decision to step aside, paving the way for Vice President Kamala Harris to launch her presidential campaign.
Trump is expected to speak at 4 pm EDT on Saturday, just as Democrats prepare for their four-day national convention starting Monday in Chicago. The convention will officially welcome Harris as the Democratic nominee, a move that has energized the party’s base and presented a fresh challenge for Trump.
Throughout his campaign, Trump has been critical of Harris, particularly on economic issues. He has linked her to the Biden administration’s struggles with inflation and has likened her recent proposal to combat price gouging to measures seen in communist nations. Trump has warned that a federal ban on grocery price gouging, as proposed by Harris, would lead to food shortages, rationing, and hunger.
In Pennsylvania, a state rich in natural gas, Trump has repeatedly cited Harris’ previous opposition to fracking, an oil and gas extraction process. Although her campaign has since softened her stance, asserting that she would not ban fracking, her earlier position during the 2020 presidential primary has left some voters wary.
Lieutenant Governor Austin Davis said, “The energy has clearly shifted in a dramatic way toward Vice President Harris,” and accused Trump of merely engaging in “rambling rants” and personal attacks on Harris.
Harris plans to embark on a bus tour starting in Pittsburgh on Sunday, with a stop in the small town of Rochester to the north. Meanwhile, Trump has scheduled a visit to a plant in York that manufactures nuclear fuel containers on Monday, with his running mate, JD Vance, expected to campaign in Philadelphia on the same day.
Trump’s rally in Wilkes-Barre on Saturday will mark his fifth appearance at the arena in the city, the largest in Luzerne County, where he secured victories in the last two presidential elections. In contrast, Biden won in neighboring Lackawanna County, where he has often highlighted his working-class roots in Scranton.
Some of Biden’s supporters in the former industrial city of 76,000 residents expressed disappointment when party leaders pressured the president to step aside. Diane Munley, 63, said she called dozens of members of Congress to advocate for Biden. Although she eventually came to terms with his decision, she is now fully supportive of Harris.
“I can’t deny the enthusiasm that’s been going on with this ticket right now. I am so into it,” Munley said. “It just wasn’t happening with Joe, and I couldn’t see it at the time because I was so connected to him.”
Munley added that she doesn’t know a Democrat or independent in her circle who isn’t fully committed to Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz. “We are all-in on Kamala Harris,” Munley said. “All in 110%.”
However, not everyone shares Munley’s enthusiasm. Robert A. Bridy, 64, a laborer from Shamokin, Pennsylvania, traveled to Wilkes-Barre to support Trump. He acknowledged that the race feels tight in Pennsylvania and noted that his union and a close friend have tried to convince him to vote for Harris and other Democrats, but he remains steadfast in his support for Trump.
“It’s close. You can’t change Democrats’ minds no matter what. They’ve got a one-track mind, and that’s it,” Bridy said.
He described Trump as a “working-class guy like us,” despite Trump being a billionaire who made his fortune in real estate. “He’s a fighter,” Bridy said. “I’d like to see the closed borders. He doesn’t mess around. He goes at it right away and takes care of business the way it should be.”
Source : Times of India
