Former President Donald Trump is making a return to Pennsylvania to headline a Fox News town hall event moderated by Sean Hannity. The event is being held at New Holland Arena in Harrisburg, the capital city of the key battleground state in the race between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. Trump previously visited Pennsylvania last Friday for a rally in Johnstown. Vice President Harris also visited Pennsylvania recently, stopping in Pittsburgh to team up with President Biden at a Labor Day event in the state’s second-largest city. She is expected to return to Pittsburgh on Thursday to prepare for the upcoming presidential debate.
With Election Day approaching in nine weeks and early voting in Pennsylvania starting this month, both campaigns see the state as crucial in determining the outcome of the 2024 presidential election. Mark Harris, a veteran Republican strategist, described Pennsylvania as “ground zero” and emphasized that it is a must-win state for both the Trump campaign and the Harris camp. Over $336 million has already been spent on advertising in Pennsylvania by the campaigns and supporting super PACs, with more spending expected in the final weeks leading up to the election.
Pennsylvania, along with Michigan and Wisconsin, are considered the Democrats’ “Blue Wall” states, traditionally won by the party for a quarter-century before Trump narrowly captured them in 2016 to win the White House. In 2020, Biden managed to win back all three states by razor-thin margins. Current public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania indicate a margin-of-error race between Harris and Trump, with both campaigns recognizing the state’s importance and making strategic campaign stops and ad buys to secure victory. Mike Butler, a Pittsburgh-based Democratic consultant, emphasized the competitiveness of Pennsylvania in recent elections and predicted a close race in the upcoming election.
Pennsylvania remains a swing state that is crucial for both the Harris and Trump campaigns to secure victory in the 2024 presidential election. The campaigns have already spent significant amounts on advertising in the state, with more spending expected as Election Day approaches. Both President Trump and Vice President Harris have made recent campaign stops in Pennsylvania, highlighting the state’s importance in the race for the White House. With early voting set to begin in Pennsylvania this month, the campaigns are intensifying their efforts to secure the state’s crucial electoral votes.
