Pennsylvania Republican leaders said they are optimistic about their chances to make the Keystone State the one that puts former President Donald Trump over the finish line, while a top Democrat suggested otherwise, laying out how his party is on a path to victory.
State Sen. Cris Dush, a Brookville Republican, who noted he represents seven of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, was asked about the one big blue swath in his district – Centre County, home to Penn State University.
Dush’s district covers all-or-parts-of Jefferson, Elk, Cameron, Centre, Clinton, McKean and Potter counties in Pennsylvania’s lush northwestern forests.
With Republican activist Scott Presler targeting Centre as part of his statewide GOP voter registration push, Dush said the prospect of flipping Centre County is “actually getting very exciting.”
Dush noted neighboring Clinton County, home to Lock Haven, was solidly Democratic until the Trump era. “They just went over 3-to-1 Republican.”
Pennsylvania State Sen. Cris Dush.
“This is a massive shift that’s coming in rural Pennsylvania… and part of it is that my working class, middle-age and senior constituents are seeing what’s happening to their jobs and with inflation and this craziness,” he said.
“With a man now being able to be called a woman: that kind of stuff too. They’ve just finally had enough.”
At a recent fair in his district, Dush said he was heckled by a young Democrat while speaking to a crowd that included many Gen-Z people. Instead of engaging, he told the crowd the reason the man was upset was that he is one of many who cannot afford to own a home, a car or other “American Dream” mainstays.
“And I’m getting applause from the kids,” he remarked.
In several of Dush’s redder counties, Democrats like Sen. John Fetterman performed better than most last cycle – while GOP nominee Dr. Mehmet Oz still won the areas outright.
In that regard, Dush was asked if that was an aberration or if the areas are truly trending toward the Democrats.
“The fact that they’re putting such restrictions on the development of businesses in the northern tier and western Pennsylvania: There’s not a state in the United States that doesn’t have a Steelers bar in it, and that’s because working-class kids have become our best export. I want them back,” he said.
Farther east, near the New Jersey border, the Lehigh Valley was once home to a booming steel industry immortalized by Billy Joel’s 1981 hit “Allentown.”
PA TOWN ROILED BY TALK OF MIGRANT HOUSING IN CIVIL-WAR-ERA ORPHANAGE BUILDING
Pennsylvania State Sen. Jarrett Coleman.
“We’ve had over 40,000 volunteers signed up since Kamala became our nominee for president. Vice President Harris has inspired people. We’ve had we’ve had people knocking on doors, canvass launches, over 50 offices opened [in PA],” Street said.
“People are just super excited about supporting Vice President Harris. So yeah, we’re seeing lots of energy, lots of engagement, and the vice president has sort of set the world on fire,” he quipped.
When asked about the candidates appearing to focus in recent weeks on key areas of the state, Street said Harris has been all over the Commonwealth.
When asked about both candidates frequenting Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Street noted there is a key congressional race there between Rep. Matt Cartwright, D-Pa., and Republican Rob Bresnahan.
“It’s also hometown territory for Senator Casey,” he added.
When asked about Republicans claiming they are making inroads in Centre, Bucks, Luzerne and the Lehigh Valley, Street said he has not seen such evidence.
He noted that in Centre – the Penn State county – Democrats added a second state representative in Paul Takac, and that Northampton County is now as Democratically-controlled as its bluer-counterpart, Lehigh.
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However, Street said that shift may not be because there are more Democrats in those areas, but because the Republicans have departed from their longtime moderation.
He contrasted Trump-type politicians with past Republicans who have performed well statewide, like Sen. Arlen Specter and Gov. Tom Ridge.
Pennsylvanians of both stripes also largely supported moderate Democratic Govs. Ed Rendell and Robert Casey – the incumbent U.S. senator’s father, he said.
“Our Republicans and Democrats statewide have never been that far apart from each other. Democrats are still pretty much where we always were,” Street said.
Fox News Digital also reached out to the Harris campaign for an interview.
