Pennsylvania to have deciding vote? Why the biggest swing state won’t go easy on both Trump, Harris
Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump and his Democratic opponent incumbent Vice President Kamala Harris’ aggressive campaign in Pennsylvania is likely to result in a toe-to-toe essentially even race in the US Assembly Election 2024.
The biggest of all seven American swing states, Pennsylvania, is often considered a decisive factor.(AFP)
The biggest of all seven American swing states, Pennsylvania, is often considered a decisive factor in the outcome of the presidential elections. It is a prize the winning candidate must claim to be the new US President.
That being said, the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, however, will not be kind to either Harris or Trump on the voting day.
Harris vs Trump: Pennsylvania won’t go easy on either of them
While both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris have promised their supporters to deliver Pennsylvania, the voters in the swing state have a bone to pick with both candidates.
While the voters are upset with Kamala Harris due to the augmented inflation rate under the Biden-Harris administration, Trump’s role in restricting abortion access for millions of Americans is likely to impact his influence in the must-win state.
As per reports, ground conversations with voters underscore how close the Pennsylvania race and the outcome could perhaps shift with an unexpected turn of events.
Trump’s recent rally at Madison Square Garden in New York was another pivotal moment that could turn the cards against the former President.
During his campaign rally, a comedian came onto the stage and insulted Puerto Rico, calling it an “island of garbage”, a move political pundits predict could be detrimental to Trump as Pennsylvania is home to more than 470,000 Puerto Ricans.
In the prior four presidential elections, Pennsylvania voted reliably blue. But the state swung red in 2016 when Trump won it by roughly 45,000 votes. In 2020, the Keystone State state flipped again.
US Presidential Polls: Why Pennsylvania is an important battleground?
Pennsylvania, the fifth-most populous state, holds 19 crucial electoral votes and stands as the largest of the seven pivotal swing states. Both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are making significant efforts here, with frequent visits to this key state situated between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic—more than any other state.
The challenge is particularly critical for Harris, as no Democrat has ascended to the presidency since 1948 without winning Pennsylvania. Since 1992, this Commonwealth has been part of the Blue Wall of northern industrial states that consistently support Democratic candidates—until Trump shattered that tradition in 2016 by a narrow margin.
Read more about US Elections 2024:
• Catch all the newsmakers, detailed explainers and deep analysis of the US Elections
• HT in US: Special Coverage of the American elections by Prashant Jha
Who is likely to win Pennsylvania in 2024?
A poll conducted with 800 participants suggests that for most voters in Pennsylvania economy and inflation are the most crucial factor followed by abortion.
Several political experts think that Pennsylvanians might favour Trump to handle the economy as under his administration economy was in a much better place.
As far as numbers are concerned, Harris is likely to win two points, 50%-48%, as per a Marist survey that also includes undecided voters who are leaning toward a candidate (margin of error 3.4 points), and by one point, On the other hand, there’s a 48%-47% margin in a Washington Post poll (margin of error 3.1 points), both released Friday.
