- RVM News - https://www.rvmnews.com -

Key Swing State County Just Turned Red For The First Time In Over 50 Years

Posted By RVM News Staff On In News | 1 Comment

In a significant political shift, Luzerne County, a historically Democratic stronghold in Pennsylvania, has officially flipped [1] to the Republican Party for the first time in over four decades.

This change in voter registration, according to data released by the Pennsylvania Department of State on Monday, reflects a growing realignment in the state.

As of the latest count, Republicans now hold a slim advantage with 87,415 registered voters compared to 87,332 Democrats, giving the GOP a lead of just 83 voters.

Luzerne County, located in northeastern Pennsylvania near Scranton, Joe Biden’s birthplace, has long been a Democratic bastion.

President Joe Biden poses for a picture in the photo line following his speech at the Electric City Trolley Museum in Scranton on Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021.
Biden Photo Line

However, the shift in voter registration reflects broader political trends in the county that began during former President Donald Trump’s campaigns.

Luzerne County played a key role in Trump’s victories in Pennsylvania in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, as it swung significantly in his favor.

In 2016, Trump won Pennsylvania by a margin of just 44,292 votes, marking the first time a Republican had carried the state since 1988.

The latest voter registration numbers underscore the transformation underway in Luzerne County. While the margin remains narrow, the switch is seen as a bellwether for future elections in Pennsylvania, a critical battleground state in national politics.

This is the first time Republicans have held a majority in the county since 1972, a year when the nation overwhelmingly supported President Richard Nixon in his re-election bid.

The shift marks a significant departure from the political landscape of the past several decades.

Grassroots efforts, particularly through the Pennsylvania Chase initiative, have been instrumental in driving voter registration efforts for the Republican Party. “WE DID IT! IT IS DONE! We flipped Luzerne County, Pennsylvania,” Republican organizer Scott Presler wrote on social media, celebrating the change.

The initiative has focused on engaging voters in the county, contributing to the slim Republican lead.

Once a stronghold for Democratic candidates, Luzerne County’s political allegiance began to shift in 2016 when Donald Trump garnered substantial support from the area.

In that election, the county swung 25% in favor of Trump compared to the 2012 election, playing a crucial role in his victory.

The county’s transition from blue to red is seen as part of a broader realignment driven by economic concerns, cultural issues, and dissatisfaction with the Democratic Party’s direction in recent years.

In the 2020 election, despite a statewide victory for Joe Biden, Luzerne County remained solidly in Trump’s camp, with the former president carrying the county by about eight percentage points.

This ongoing support for Trump in Luzerne and other rural and suburban counties helped bolster his performance in Pennsylvania, even as Biden won the state.

Luzerne County’s political evolution highlights the growing importance of Pennsylvania as a key battleground in future elections.

Republicans are optimistic that the momentum in Luzerne County will carry forward into upcoming election cycles, potentially influencing statewide results.

With 203,321 registered voters in the county, there remains a sizable bloc of unaffiliated and third-party voters.

According to the latest data, 22,414 voters are registered with no party affiliation, while 6,160 are registered with minor parties. This presents an opportunity for both parties to court undecided voters as the 2024 presidential election approaches.

Former President Trump has already made Pennsylvania a priority in his bid for re-election.

He is set to visit the state on Monday, where he will hold a policy event and rally. Pennsylvania is once again poised to be a pivotal state in the 2024 election, with both Trump and Kamala Harris focusing their campaigns on winning over voters in the Keystone State.

Recent polling indicates a tight race between Trump and Harris, with Trump maintaining strong support in key areas of the state, including Luzerne County.

The realignment in Luzerne County mirrors a broader trend across the United States, where traditionally Democratic areas have seen increased Republican support, particularly in rural and working-class regions.

This shift could have significant implications for both state and national elections, as Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral votes are crucial to securing victory in the Electoral College.

The Republican Party’s success in flipping Luzerne County is part of a concerted effort to gain ground in Pennsylvania, a state that has often been seen as a bellwether in presidential elections.

In 2020, Pennsylvania played a decisive role in Joe Biden’s victory, but with Luzerne County now leaning red, Republicans are hopeful that the state could swing back to the GOP in future elections.

As the political landscape in Pennsylvania continues to evolve, both parties will be closely watching Luzerne County and other key areas for signs of shifting voter allegiances.

With former President Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris both eyeing Pennsylvania as a critical battleground, the state’s voters are once again expected to play a decisive role in determining the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.

In the meantime, Republicans in Luzerne County are celebrating their hard-fought victory in the battle for voter registration.

While the margin may be slim, the significance of flipping a long-standing Democratic stronghold cannot be understated.

For the first time in over 40 years, Luzerne County is red, and Republicans are hopeful that this is just the beginning of a larger trend in Pennsylvania and beyond.