On Monday, CNN commentator Van Jones expressed apprehension over Kamala Harris’s chances in Pennsylvania, a state critical to the 2024 election.

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Jones shared his concerns on “CNN News Central,” pointing to several factors he believes may pose challenges to Harris’s campaign, including low voter turnout in Philadelphia, a decline in support among Jewish voters, and potential issues with the campaign’s strategy in Pennsylvania.

Current polling data from RealClear Politics shows former President Donald Trump with a narrow 0.3% lead over Harris in Pennsylvania, highlighting the state’s battleground status.

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Jones, emphasizing the importance of turnout in Philadelphia, said, “Well, I’m just nervous all the time. So I don’t feel good about nothin’ and I’m not gonna feel good about nothin’ ’til it’s over. I’m worried. Philadelphia is where we’ve gotta run up a big margin, but Philly overall has been trending down, not in terms of going toward the Republicans, just people not getting out to vote.”

Philadelphia has traditionally provided strong support for Democrats, but this year, the Harris campaign has reportedly faced difficulties in mobilizing voters in the city.

Jones referenced efforts by local leaders, such as Pastor Carl Day, who is working with young men to knock on doors and encourage voter turnout. “It’s a bigger, tougher fight in Philly to get that vote count up than it has been in the past. That has me worried,” Jones remarked.

Adding to his concerns, Jones pointed out that Harris’s support among Jewish voters in Pennsylvania’s suburban areas has significantly declined.

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In 2020, Jewish voters favored Joe Biden by a margin of 70-30, but some polls now indicate a 50-50 split between Harris and Trump among this demographic. “That is 70,000 votes we’ve bled away. That is the margin for victory,” Jones said, acknowledging the efforts of groups like Zioness, led by Amanda Berman, to bring Jewish voters back on board. “It is door-to-door, bruised knuckles, tired legs, a lot of coffee, and I’m nervous and worried and I’m not gonna be any way until this thing gets called.”

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, the Harris campaign is planning two concerts on Monday, one in Pittsburgh and another in Philadelphia, as part of its final push to energize voters.

However, Jones questioned the effectiveness of high-profile events, citing the 2016 election as a cautionary example. “The other thing makes me nervous is in 2016 we had a big star-studded event right on the edge of the election and we lost the state,” Jones said. “I don’t think people understand working people sometimes have to choose: Am I gonna go to the big cool concert this week and pay for babysitting for that or am I gonna try to figure out a way to get to the polls?”

Jones expressed skepticism over the impact of such events, noting, “I don’t like these big star-studded events. I can’t show where they’ve helped us win. In fact, probably helped us lose last time. I don’t want people going to concerts. I want people knockin’ on doors, I want people out there fighting for this thing. I’m just nervous, nervous, nervous.”

Pennsylvania, with its substantial electoral votes, holds significant weight in the 2024 election, as it has been key to winning 12 of the last 15 presidential races.

Mark Halperin, a political analyst with Newsmax, highlighted the importance of Pennsylvania in Harris’s electoral strategy.

He noted on Friday that Harris’s most viable path to an Electoral College win depends on securing victories in Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, especially given her trailing position in Sun Belt swing states.

As Election Day approaches, both campaigns are doubling down on efforts to win over Pennsylvania voters.

While the Harris campaign faces challenges with key demographic groups and voter engagement, Trump’s narrow lead highlights the state’s potential to determine the election outcome.

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