Former President Donald Trump is planning to hold a rally in northeast Pennsylvania, a critical battleground state, before his criminal hush money trial begins on Monday. Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee, will be speaking at the Schnecksville Fire Hall in Lehigh County, a swing state that could decide the outcome of the presidential race. Pennsylvania was previously flipped to the Republican column by Trump in 2016 but was lost to President Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Biden, who was born in Scranton, plans to deliver a major address in the same city on tax fairness.
Trump is facing four separate criminal prosecutions while running to avenge his loss to Biden, creating a unique mix of legal and political chaos. His trial in New York, where he is accused of arranging hush money payments to bury stories about extramarital affairs during his 2016 campaign, will be the first criminal trial ever of a former U.S. president. The trial will limit Trump’s availability on the campaign trail, but he is expected to speak to the media often and has been campaigning on the felony charges he faces, accusing political opponents of trying to stop him from winning the White House again.
Biden has criticized Trump’s claims of election fraud, calling them dangerous for the country and a threat to democracy and U.S. alliances abroad. Both candidates have been trying to rally their voting bases and divide their opponent’s coalitions in the lead-up to the election. Trump recently criticized Democratic-leaning voters who support Israel, urging them to back him instead, citing Biden’s criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Biden has also put Trump on the defensive over the issue of abortion, highlighting new restrictions and laws criminalizing abortion in certain states.
The economy has been a key issue in the election campaign, with both candidates presenting contrasting viewpoints. Trump has criticized Biden’s handling of the economy, citing inflation rates and challenging his stance on border security and oil drilling. Biden, on the other hand, has attempted to showcase job growth and unemployment rate improvements in areas like Lehigh County. Despite these efforts, Biden has struggled to convince people that he has successfully managed the economy, with only 37% of U.S. adults approving of his economic leadership in a recent poll.
Inflation has been a persistent issue for Biden, with rising costs for various goods and services pushing up the annual inflation rate. Biden has expressed confidence in his plan to address inflation and expects the Federal Reserve to respond by cutting its benchmark interest rates. He has also criticized the opposition for solely focusing on tax cuts for the wealthy and raising taxes on others. As the campaign heats up and both candidates continue to engage with voters, the economy, inflation, and other key issues are likely to play a significant role in shaping the outcome of the presidential race in Pennsylvania and beyond.
