Trump and Harris Spotlight Crucial Swing State: Pennsylvania

On August 17, former President Donald Trump held a significant rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, focusing his efforts on this crucial battleground state. The event came just a day before Democratic nominee Kamala Harris was set to visit, highlighting the importance both candidates place on Pennsylvania.

Trump’s rally targeted the northeastern region of the Keystone State, amidst heightened electoral activity as Harris embarked on a western Pennsylvania bus tour that started in Pittsburgh. This tour was strategically timed just before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.

In addition to the rally in Wilkes-Barre, Trump is scheduled to return to Pennsylvania on Monday to speak at a machining manufacturer in York, where he will address economic issues. Meanwhile, Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, campaigned in his home state of Nebraska.

This year marks Trump’s seventh visit to Pennsylvania, and he has made at least five appearances in Wilkes-Barre since 2016. The state holds significant political weight; President Joe Biden won it in the 2020 election, whereas Trump claimed victory there in 2016.

Recent polling indicates Harris has gained an edge over Trump in Pennsylvania, prompting him to label her and Gov. Walz as “extreme liberals” and “communists.” During his 100-minute speech, Trump didn’t shy away from making personal jabs at Harris, labeling her proposals as “communist, Marxist, fascist,” and accused her of wanting to impose “socialist price controls.” He even went so far as to compare her to former Soviet leader Josef Stalin.

Trump also directed personal attacks at Harris, referring to her as a “socialist lunatic” and critiquing her laugh as “crazy.” He asserted, “I say that I am much better looking than her,” a comment that continued his trend of personal insults. Earlier at a rally in North Carolina, he denounced her as a “radical-left person from San Francisco,” claiming she and Walz are “beyond socialists” while insulting her intelligence.

In addition to personal attacks, Trump believes that Harris’ past support for a ban on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, makes her vulnerable in Pennsylvania. Over the past decade, technological advancements in fracking have resulted in a significant increase in the state’s oil and gas production. In 2022, Pennsylvania produced 19% of the nation’s marketed natural gas, second only to Texas, according to the U.S. Energy Information Agency.

While running for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020, Harris, along with several competitors, initially supported a fracking ban due to environmental concerns. However, she has since shifted her stance, claiming Trump misrepresents her position. In a recent appearance in New Jersey, Trump reiterated his belief that Harris will struggle in Pennsylvania, emphasizing the importance of fracking in the state’s economy.

The Trump campaign is taking Pennsylvania seriously, proposing that two debates between Trump and Harris take place in the state. So far, one debate has been approved; it will be a live televised event in Philadelphia on September 10, to be aired on ABC.

Meanwhile, Governor Walz’s remarks during his campaign appearance in Nebraska aimed to connect with local sentiments while critiquing Trump’s policies. “You got a slogan here: ‘Nebraska: It’s not for everyone,’” he stated. “Well, it sure ain’t for Donald Trump, I’ll tell you that. This guy is the opposite of everything here.”