WASHINGTON CROSSING, Pa. — This is the most swinging of the swing counties surrounding Philadelphia, and voters are still switching sides — making it ground zero in a must-win battleground state.
The voters in Bucks County say their top issues are the economy, abortion, immigration and safeguarding America’s democracy. Those issues are pulling them in every way.
“When Kamala is asked about high prices, she just talks about price gouging. That’s not going to lower inflation,” Allison Butera of Newtown said as she exited a commuter train from Philadelphia.
She said she voted for Hillary Clinton in 2016 and President Biden in 2020. This year, the 32-year-old physical therapist says she is “extremely motivated” to break with the Democratic Party and vote for former President Donald Trump.
John Mosienko, a lifelong Republican from Langhorne, Pennsylvania, is also crossing party lines this year. He is all in for Vice President Kamala Harris.
“He is losing his mind, and the whole world is watching it happen,” the 48-year-old computer programmer said of Mr. Trump. “It’s embarrassing to see him out there saying the things he says.”
As Ms. Harris’ lead in Pennsylvania evaporates, Bucks County’s significance has intensified. Both campaigns consider the county crucial to capturing Pennsylvania and, with it, the White House.
In late September, Ms. Harris had a slight lead in Pennsylvania. The race is now dead-even in the polls.
Both campaigns have upped their game in the county.
Mr. Trump made headlines serving customers at a McDonald’s in Bucks County, his second visit to the county this year.
Ms. Harris came to the county to invoke the spirit of George Washington at the site where he crossed the Delaware River. She brought with her 100 Republican former officials who are backing her.
Actress Jennifer Garner came to Bucks County to tout Ms. Harris’ plan for small businesses. Ms. Garner pitched herself as a small-business owner, not just a Hollywood star.
Mr. Trump’s running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, stopped in the county and tossed MAGA hats into the crowd at a health club.
Even the second gentleman, Doug Emhoff, has been to the county.
The Harris campaign has three offices in Bucks County, and the Trump campaign has one.
Among Philadelphia’s “collar counties,” Bucks remains the most purple. It is also the third most affluent and among the most educated counties in the state. Other suburban Philadelphia counties — Montgomery, Chester and Delaware — have inched more blue over the past decade.
Registered Republicans outnumber Democrats in the county by a mere 280. It is the only suburban Philadelphia county with more Republicans than Democrats.
In 2016, Mrs. Clinton won Bucks County by less than 1 percentage point but lost the state. Mr. Biden won the county in 2020 by 6 points, or less than 2,000 votes, and carried Pennsylvania.
Roughly 20% of the county voted for Nikki Haley in the state Republican primary.
In that purple haze, both campaigns see a path to the presidency.
“People in Bucks County vote for a person, not a platform. If a candidate comes here and makes a good impression, people will vote for them regardless of party,” said James Greenberg, 54, of Langhorne, a registered Democrat who is staying true to Ms. Harris.
Claire Meyer, who has been canvassing for the Harris campaign, said she has encountered many former Trump voters who now support Ms. Harris.
“Republicans are hopefully waking up to the threat he poses to democracy,” she said.
The switchers made her “hopeful,” she said, until she saw the polls showing Ms. Harris losing support. Ms. Meyer said she worries that the number of Republicans crossing over to Ms. Harris won’t be enough to erase her soft support among Hispanic and Black voters.
Meanwhile, plenty of Democrats say they are fed up with the Biden-Harris administration and are voting for Mr. Trump.
Paul Cook, 33, a lifelong Democrat from Morrisville, Pennsylvania, said inflation and immigration chaos persuaded him to abandon the Democratic Party for Mr. Trump.
“They’ve completely failed,” he said of the Biden-Harris administration.
Republicans and Democrats say this year is different from previous election cycles, with voters on both sides energized and mobilized like never before.
Pat Poprik, chair of the Bucks County Republican Party, estimates that someone comes into her office for a yard sign or mail-in ballot every three minutes. She said one woman asked for pro-Trump literature on a Friday and returned on Monday asking for more.
“People here are not just satisfied to vote; they need to do more,” she said. “We are seeing people who would not put a sign on their lawn in 2016 and 2020 putting Trump signs on their lawn.”
Linda Bobrin, chair of Newtown Democrats, said she sees similar enthusiasm. Since Ms. Harris entered the race, they have gained 60 volunteers and donations have flowed in rapidly.
“It just feels different this year. Knocking on the doors has been different. Everyone is pretty enthusiastic,” she said, adding that people have stopped her in the supermarket to ask for mail-in ballots and volunteer for Ms. Harris.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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