Driving northwest from Philadelphia, one can’t shake it off that they’ve entered Trump nation.
The freeway is lined with selfmade Donald Trump indicators as an electrical billboard flashes the Republican presidential nominee’s title.
However head into Studying and Wyomissing, Pennsylvania and out of the blue Kamala Harris indicators begin popping up throughout city.
There are neighbors with dueling yard indicators, supporters of the vice chairman dwelling proper alongside these backing the previous Republican president with their political leanings on full show.
The state is taken into account the largest battleground of 2024 with 19 electoral votes up for grabs, and Berks County may very well be on the road as effectively. It additionally simply so occurs to be the hometown of celebrity Taylor Swift.
The 34-year-old megastar was born in West Studying and lived within the county all through her childhood, first shifting to Wyomissing earlier than heading to Tennessee as a youngster to pursue her music profession.
Swift’s upbringing in japanese Pennsylvania has been inspiration for or referenced in a few of her greatest hits. Now her hometown may may play a major function deciding the way forward for the nation come November.
Taylor Swift’s hometown is shaping as much as be a battleground within the 2024 presidential election. She was born in West Studying, PA and lived in Wyomissing earlier than shifting to Tennessee to pursue music
Berks County has been trending purple in presidential elections for a number of cycles, however your entire election doubtlessly coming all the way down to Pennsylvania is nothing new.
President Obama gained Berks County in 2008 by almost 16,000 votes, earlier than it turned bother for Democrats.
It went for Trump in 2020 by greater than 16,000 votes, a barely smaller hole than the almost 18,000 votes he gained the county by in 2016. Mitt Romney gained it by lower than 1,000 votes in 2012.
However within the midterms, voters there have been prepared to separate their tickets to elect Democrat Josh Shapiro as governor by roughly 6,500 votes whereas Republican candidate Mehmet Oz held the county in Senate race by 6,600 votes, sparking some to consider all the pieces has modified and the county is extra maroon.
Now that August slipped away and the marketing campaign season has entered excessive gear, DailyMail.com discovered folks in Swift’s hometown are paying shut consideration contemplating the swing state’s popularity.
A ‘Berks is Kamala Nation’ check in Wyomissing, PA with lower than 60 days to go earlier than the 2024 election
A house proper subsequent door to the Kamala Harris supporter’s dwelling had a Donald Trump signal out entrance in Wyomissing, PA. DailyMail.com discovered neighborhoods city with each Harris and Trump indicators
The house in Berks County the place Taylor Swift’s household lived earlier than they moved to Tennessee
A number of voters mentioned they’re making an attempt to not trigger dangerous blood with these round them and have shied away from speaking politics all collectively.
One lady informed DailyMail.com that she’s the one Democrat in her purple precinct, and it has made her uncomfortable to discuss her help for Harris.
However she additionally admitted Pennsylvania rejecting Trump is her wildest dream.
However others there have been fearless in sharing their ideas on the delicate topic of politics on a beautiful fall afternoon, the place all one wanted was a favourite outdated cardigan to remain heat.
Tanja Carlisle from Studying is a Democrat who will probably be voting for Harris come November.
She likes what the vice chairman has mentioned about tackling rising grocery costs, serving to first time dwelling consumers, border safety, negotiating Medicare drug pricing and ladies making their very own selections ‘on the subject of their very own our bodies.’
Carlisle mentioned she believes folks in the neighborhood are carefully paying consideration now greater than ever with Democracy on the road.
‘I simply suppose that Kamala can be the most effective candidate for 2024,’ Carlisle mentioned.
Harris and Trump have each campaigned closely in Pennsylvania as polls present them neck-and-neck within the swing state
Renee Riddle agreed. She mentioned she doesn’t need to see the U.S. ever getting again collectively with Trump.
‘I simply suppose he is all in regards to the wealthy and does not actually care about what is going on to occur to the remaining,’ Riddle defined.
For her, a very powerful points are ladies’s rights and defending medical insurance advantages.
However Republican James Van Buren of Wyomissing mentioned the ex-president is his man.
‘I feel Donald Trump has observe file for what he is performed and what he stands for,’ he informed DailyMail.com.
‘I do not know as if I’ve heard an entire lot of any of what Kamala Harris goes to be for and what she’s actually performed whereas she’s been there as vice chairman,’ he added.
For Van Buren, a very powerful points are the financial system and immigration.
‘I do not consider that they’ve performed something that they are legally required to do in controlling our border,’ he mentioned of the Biden administration.
Berks County is within the southeastern a part of the state simply over an hour outdoors Philadelphia. Its neighboring counties to the southeast had been blue in 2020 whereas Republicans have gained it since President Obama did in 2008
Whereas polling reveals only a second in time, the newest numbers reveal neither candidate is out of the woods within the Keystone State. The Actual Clear Politics common has every candidate tied at 47 %.
No Democrat has gained the White Home with out Pennsylvania since Harry Truman in 1948.
Advert spending reveals each campaigns know all too effectively it will be a merciless remaining dash within the state.
Democrats have $75 million already in advert reservations in Pennsylvania for the ultimate two months earlier than November 5.
Republicans have $68 million in reservations, in line with monitoring by AdImpact. The state has probably the most advert spending of any swing state.
However whereas the voters in Berks County might disagree on who ought to be elected on the prime of the ticket this fall, they do agree on one factor: Swift is untouchable whilst she makes an endorsement within the extremely contentious presidential race.
The songstress introduced on on social media Tuesday that she can be backing the vice chairman for president.
‘I will probably be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz within the 2024 Presidential Election,’ she wrote.
She famous ‘I’ve performed my analysis, and I’ve made my alternative. Your analysis is all yours to do, and the selection is yours to make.’
Swift signed her submit ‘Childless Cat Woman.’
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings