Donald Trump, Seeking Victory in Pennsylvania, Set to Hold Rally in Erie

By Gram Slattery

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is set to hold a rally in Pennsylvania on Sunday, marking his fourth campaign event in the state within a month. Pennsylvania has emerged as a critical battleground in the 2024 election.

The former president will address supporters in Erie, located in the northwestern part of the state, at 2 p.m. local time. This rally follows an event hosted by his running mate, U.S. Senator JD Vance, in the same city last month, and precedes another rally planned for October 5 in western Pennsylvania.

Many of Trump’s allies view Pennsylvania as the most crucial of the competitive states for the upcoming election on November 5. Among the seven states where both Trump and his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, have a strong chance of winning, Pennsylvania stands out due to its large population and significant number of Electoral College votes, which play a vital role in determining the election’s outcome.

Supporters believe that if Trump secures a win over Harris in Pennsylvania, his chances of returning to the White House increase substantially. Conversely, if he loses the state, they contend that Harris will gain a considerable advantage in the election.

Given the high stakes, both candidates have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in advertisements in Pennsylvania, more than in any other state, whether in total or on a per capita basis.

Erie, the location of Trump’s rally, serves as a microcosm of the state’s electoral dynamics. Erie County was one of only two counties in Pennsylvania that supported Trump in the 2016 election against Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, but shifted to back President Joe Biden in 2020.

Trump narrowly won Pennsylvania in 2016 but lost in 2020.

Current polling indicates that Pennsylvania remains competitive, with Harris holding a slight lead of 1.6 percentage points over Trump, a margin that falls within the accuracy range of most polls.

Trump’s upcoming rally on October 5 will take place in Butler, roughly 100 miles south of Erie. Notably, Butler was the site of a failed assassination attempt on Trump earlier in July, during which a bullet grazed his ear.