Pennsylvania County Winner Predicted to Secure White House”>Erie County
, known for its history of voting for winning presidential candidates since 2008, welcomed Vice President Kamala Harris on October 14th. Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, is currently in a statistical tie with former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania. According to Real Clear Polling, Trump holds an average lead of 0.3 percentage points.Given the narrow margins and Pennsylvania’s significant 19 Electoral College votes at stake, Harris emphasized the importance of voter turnout during her rally in Erie. She urged her supporters to make plans for voting and provided specific instructions on how to do so.
Harris stated, “How you all vote in presidential elections often ends up predicting the national result.” She encouraged early in-person voting at the Erie County Voter Registration Office until October 29th and advised those who had received mail-in ballots to fill them out and return them promptly.
The rally took place at the Erie Insurance Arena downtown and attracted a predominantly local audience, including unionized workers from the city’s manufacturing sector. These individuals expressed their belief that Harris would be the best candidate to support manufacturing jobs in the area—a concern that Trump has addressed through his pro-tariff platform.
John Knob, a retired General Electric employee and union member of United Electrical, Radio, and Machine Workers of America Local 506 in Erie disagreed with Trump’s approach: “I don’t think tariffs are the answer… [We need] better trade relationships with other countries.” Knob suggested renegotiating some international deals instead.
Gary Grack from Service Employees International Union Local 22 of Firemen and Oilers also emphasized unions’ significance in Erie County: “[I’ve] been a union man my whole life… I love everything [Harris] says.” Grack attributed any issues regarding cost of living to “price gouging by grocers and big oil.”
During her speech lasting approximately 30 minutes, Harris touched upon these topics as well as abortion rights and tax credits for parents with young children. A significant portion was dedicated to contrasting her policies with Trump’s record while portraying him as a threat to democracy.
To support her claims about Trump’s alleged use of violent language towards political opponents at rallies, Harris presented a video compilation. However, it should be noted that Trump has argued that Democrats have taken his remarks out of context without providing relevant information that clarifies their meaning.
Harris concluded her speech by echoing this year’s Democratic campaign slogan: “Fight for a better future. Because when we fight, we win.”