Editorial: Time for the campaigns to really speak to Pennsylvanians
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In Chicago, the last steps are being taken. With the Democratic National Convention in full swing and the Republican convention a month in the rear view mirror, we are in the last leg of what seems like the longest power struggle in history.
And that leg is running right through Pennsylvania.
Everyone knew the Keystone State would see a lot of campaigning this year. A presidential year made it a foregone conclusion. With the added bonus of a U.S. Senate race and the constant presence of state and federal legislative seats on the line, there was no way Pennsylvania wouldn’t be squarely in the thick of things.
There have been rallies and speeches. Republican nominee and former President Donald Trump was the target of an assassination attempt in Butler County. Democratic nominee and Vice President Kamala Harris announced her own running mate Tim Walz in Philadelphia.
The closer we get to November, the more these events will happen and the more frequently they will come. On Thursday, Trump running mate J.D. Vance was in front of an invitation-only audience at the Lower Burrell VFW. On Saturday, Harris and Walz stopped in the Pittsburgh area to embark on a Pennsylvania bus tour.
Didn’t see them? Don’t worry. You have another eight weeks or so where it could happen. Both parties are guaranteed to make constant appearances to try to sew up the Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes — the largest prize of any swing state.
But here’s a tip for the campaigns. If you want to make a mark on Keystone State voters, do more than just show up and wave and shake hands.
These are voters who have been promised the moon and stars for decades. They can taste the difference between truth and pandering the way they can identify Heinz ketchup at first bite. And while the “Pittsburgh and Philly with Kentucky in the middle” is a cliche, it’s a little too accurate when you live outside major city limits.
If you want to really win Pennsylvania, candidates, go beyond the stump speech. Don’t speak to voters in greeting card generalities.
Pennsylvanians want jobs. Be specific about the ones you say you will create. Pennsylvanians care about their water and wildlife. What will you do to protect and promote our woods and rivers? Pennsylvanians are deeply concerned about education — as not only the parents and teachers dealing with it every day but also as the taxpayers footing the bill. What will you do to help improve it without breaking the bank?
There are only a handful of states where the result is all but a lock. It is almost impossible to win the White House without Pennsylvania.
This is the last leg. The Pennsylvania voters are the American voters. Speak to us, and you speak to the mix of red and blue and undecided in the whole country. It’s time to get real.