Former President Donald Trump is set to visit Pennsylvania on Friday as he intensifies his travel schedule in the battleground state, heading into the traditional Labor Day pivot toward the fall election.
As August draws to a close and the campaign season heats up, the battle for Pennsylvania's support remains intense. During the upcoming rally in Johnstown, Trump is expected to address a wide array of issues, with a strong focus on energy policy and fracking.
Trump's running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, has also been active in the state, visiting Erie on Thursday as part of their coordinated campaign efforts.
How to Watch and Attend Trump's Johnstown, PA rally
The event, scheduled to take place at the 1st Summit Arena at the Cambria County War Memorial in Johnstown, is another significant stop on Trump's campaign trail. Located about an hour and a half from Pittsburgh, the venue will open its doors at 12:30 p.m. Eastern, with Trump set to deliver remarks at 4:30 p.m.
Attendees must register for tickets through Donald Trump's official website, with a limit of two tickets per mobile number.
For those unable to attend in person, live coverage will be available through multiple channels. C-SPAN will provide live coverage of the rally on its website, C-SPAN.org. In addition, the Magno News, a consistent source of live Trump rally coverage since 2015, will also stream the rally live on their YouTube channel.
Trump to Speak on Fracking, Economy in Battleground State
At the Johnstown rally, Trump is expected to cover a broad range of topics, with a particular emphasis on energy and fracking.
Since Harris received the nomination, the Trump campaign has consistently targeted her stance on fracking, citing her 2019 remarks in favor of banning the practice.
However, in a recent interview with CNN on Wednesday, Vice President Harris clarified that she would not ban fracking, stating that she has "not changed that position."
Fracking is especially significant in Pennsylvania, the third-largest fossil fuel-producing state in the country. The practice accounts for tens of thousands of jobs, with the oil and natural gas industry supporting over 93,000 jobs and contributing to the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands more.
Fracking is not only a significant issue in Pennsylvania but also a key component of Trump's energy agenda. Throughout his campaign, Trump has championed the "Drill, Baby, Drill" slogan, emphasizing the need for the U.S. to increase domestic oil production to ensure energy independence and dominance.
Pennsylvania's Latest Polls Show Harris in the Lead
Recent polls show that Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are in a tight race in Pennsylvania, with the Democratic ticket holding a slight edge.
According to FiveThirtyEight's polling average, the vice president is 1.8 points ahead of Trump, on 46.7 percent to his 44.9 percent. RealClearPolitics' polling average also puts Harris ahead, though by a margin of just 0.3 point.
Although Harris is leading in the polling averages, recent polls in Pennsylvania have also shown the pair tied, including the latest Emerson College poll, conducted between August 25 and 28.
Polls showing Trump in the lead include a SoCal Strategies poll from August 23, which put the former president 1 point ahead of Harris among likely voters, as well as a Fabrizio Ward poll from August 21 that put the Republican 1 point ahead in a head-to-head matchup.
Pennsylvania and its 19 electoral votes is a much sought after prize and Trump has visited several times this month, holding a rally in Wilkes-Barre on August 17 and visiting York days later.
Trump has also made a point of highlighting past events in the state, vowing to return to Butler County, where he suffered an assassination attempt during a rally on July 13. The incident, in which Trump was shot in the ear by a gunman, resulted in one man's death and injuries to two others.
In a demonstration of how vital Pennsylvania is to the election, Vice President Harris recently unveiled her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, in Philadelphia. The event, held in the state's largest city, featured an energizing speech by Pennsylvania's popular governor, Josh Shapiro, which received a standing ovation.
Harris has also been actively campaigning in Pennsylvania, most recently embarking on a bus tour throughout the Pittsburgh area on August 18, accompanied by Walz.
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About the writer
Jesus is a Newsweek Live News Reporter based in New York. Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, his focus is reporting on ... Read more
