Trump mounting full-court press to win key state of PA

American presidential elections inevitably come down to a handful of key swing states, which, for better or worse, tend to secure the lion's share of candidate attention.

With an eye toward reclaiming the vital state of Pennsylvania in November, former President Donald Trump is said to be “turbocharging” his efforts by making targeted visits now and over the next several months, as The Hill reports.

Trump going all out

Though Pennsylvania is considered by some to be Joe Biden's home field, given his long-ago, but frequently referenced ties to Scranton, Trump is not giving up hope of establishing a real foothold there in the current election cycle.

The largest swing state of all, with its 19 Electoral College votes, Pennsylvania has the makings of a true prize for the Trump campaign, provided he can recapture some of the magic he seemingly wielded there in 2016.

With so much at stake, it is no surprise that Trump is focusing hard on winning over voters in the Keystone State through personal appearances and a strong campaign message.

Getting things rolling

The push in Pennsylvania kicked off in earnest over the weekend, as Trump attended a Bucks County fundraiser before moving on to a rally in Schnecksville, located in the Lehigh Valley area of the state.

According to Trump campaign veteran David Urban, the intensity of the former president's endeavors in Pennsylvania this time around will at least rival, but likely exceed those mounted in his last two presidential bids.

“This is going to be one of many, many visits,” Urban noted. “If you look at '16 and '20 and how many visits were made, there are going to be equally as many plus more.”

Hotly contested race

Though some pundits believe that the prevailing economic conditions in Pennsylvania and across the country favor Republicans in this cycle, Democrats have notched some notable wins in the state over the course of recent years.

Biden flipped the state to blue in 2020, and Decision Desk HQ's average currently puts the president slightly ahead of Trump among voters.

Even so, Pennsylvania Republican strategist Charlie Gerow has expressed optimism about what is possible over the next several months.

“I'm very bullish on the Trump campaign in Pennsylvania. The Republicans have managed to dramatically decrease the Democrat registration [advantage] in Pennsylvania,” Gerow noted.

That is not to say he believes a Trump victory is a foregone conclusion, and it appears to him that every one of the former president's planned appearances in the state will be worthwhile and perhaps even critical.

“I still believe it will be a relatively close contest in Pennsylvania,” Gerow said. “Republicans don't win presidential elections in Pennsylvania. Donald Trump was one of a very, very few in my lifetime that won the state,” and whether that can be replicated once more, only time will tell.