Vice President Kamala Harris has been rallying support in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, an area known for its previous Democratic prominence before the Trump era. The region, home to blue-collar, union-heavy counties like Luzerne, Schuylkill, Columbia, and Northumberland, witnessed a political shift in 2016 when former President Donald Trump won as a Republican nominee. However, during her rally, Harris' supporters predicted a reversal of this trend in the upcoming elections.
Jill Purdy, a resident of Northampton County which went red in 2016 but voted for President Biden in 2020, voiced her support for Harris. Purdy appreciated Harris' plans for economic recuperation and foreign relations.
> "I really appreciate how she … I would hope she would have done a little bit more and, hopefully, we hear more before the election. But I think she set her plan in motion," Purdy said.
Harris' campaign has been about broadening her message, highlighting her policies on a range of issues, including immigration, health care, and taxes. Harris has been vocal about the potential consequences of a Trump second-term immigration crackdown, urging voters to reflect on his past policies and how they may shape the future.
During a speech to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Harris warned about the potential for mass deportation under a Trump administration.
> "Donald Trump and his extremist allies will keep trying to pull us backward. We all remember what they did to tear families apart, and now they have pledged to carry out the largest deportation, a mass deportation, in American history. Imagine what that would look like and what that would be. How’s that going to happen? Massive raids? Massive detention camps? What are they talking about?"
Harris' coalition of supporters has been growing, spanning from the right edge of the GOP to the center and left of the Democratic Party to cultural figures. In recent days, over 100 new endorsements from former members of Congress, defense secretaries, and CIA directors have been added to her camp.
While some voters see Harris as the best hope for their areas, others remain loyal to Trump, citing concerns with green policies and offshoring of jobs. Trump's reassurances to energy workers and autoworkers have been met with skepticism by some, like Purdy, who believes Harris has a more logical approach to these issues.
In contrast to Harris' growing coalition, Trump has also seen support from groups like Auto Workers for Trump, formed due to concerns with the Biden administration’s green policies, and Teamsters President Sean O’Brien, the first such union leader to speak at the Republican National Convention.
The upcoming election continues to reveal deep divides in opinion, with voters weighing their options based on their personal experiences, economic conditions, and beliefs about the future of the nation. Both Harris and Trump continue to rally their bases, highlighting the contrasts between their respective policies and visions for America.