(TruthAndLiberty.com) – Pennsylvania, the birthplace of President Joe Biden, is witnessing a notable shift in political allegiances, as reflected in recent voter registration data. This trend is particularly significant given Pennsylvania’s status as a key battleground state in presidential elections.
Data up to December 18 shows a substantial number of Democrats in Pennsylvania switching their registration to the Republican Party. Specifically, 35,589 Democrats have re-registered as Republicans this year, in contrast to the 15,622 Republicans who have become Democrats, according to the state’s department data.
Biden’s connection to Pennsylvania is personal and deep-rooted. His wife, Jill Biden, hails from Montgomery County, and their granddaughter Maisy recently graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. Adding to this, Biden has acknowledged the crucial support he received from Philadelphia donors during his presidential campaign.
The White House recently announced that Biden is scheduled to visit Philadelphia on January 6, marking his first visit to the city since his presidency.
Nathan Benefield, a senior vice president at the Commonwealth Foundation, a public policy think tank based in Pennsylvania, commented on the state’s political climate. He noted that despite Pennsylvania’s swing state status, Biden’s popularity appears to be waning, with many attributing this to the economic policies under his administration, often referred to as “Bidenomics.”
Benefield observed that the changing voter registrations and voting patterns reflect dissatisfaction with the current economic situation. He anticipates that regardless of whether Trump and Biden are on the ballot in the next election, Pennsylvania is likely to remain one of the most closely contested states.
He also highlighted a shift among blue-collar Democrats, especially in the western part of the state. Historically, these voters leaned Republican in presidential elections, but this trend seems to be extending to lower-level elections and is now manifesting in party affiliations.
The state’s voter registration data reveals another significant trend: a growing number of voters are moving away from party affiliations altogether. In particular, 20,908 Democrats and 18,927 Republicans have left their parties.
Biden’s narrow victory in Pennsylvania in the 2020 presidential election, where he defeated Trump by a margin of 1.2 percentage points, reclaimed the state for the Democrats after Trump’s win in 2016. With 19 electoral votes at stake in 2024, down from 20 in the previous election, recent surveys suggest that Biden’s position in Pennsylvania is either level with Trump’s or slightly behind. In the 2020 election, the margin of victory for Biden in Pennsylvania was just under 80,000 votes.
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