As The City Welcomes Vance & Harris on the Same Day, Its a Reminder; Don’t Sleep on Philly

Top-of-the-ticket candidates from both major parties will be in Philadelphia campaigning for November’s rapidly approaching election. With Vice President Harris, the Democratic nominee for President, and J.D. Vance, the Republican nominee for Vice President both speaking in Philadelphia on the same day, it illustrates how vital the City of Brotherly Love will be in this coming election.

J.D. Vance will be speaking at 2300 Arena in South Philadelphia. Tuesday’s appearance will be the Ohio Senator’s first appearance in Pennsylvania since announced as the running mate for Former President Trump in this year’s campaign.

Meanwhile, Vice President Harris will host a rally at the Liacouras Center on Temple University’s campus in North Philadelphia. There, she will celebrate her selection of Gov. Tim Walz as her running mate for the 2024 Presidential Campaign. With the Democratic National Convention only weeks away, Harris looks to solidify her running mate before the August 19th assembly in Chicago.

Both Harris’s and Vance’s’ presence in the city on literally the same day raises questions from some as to why so much attention is being paid to our corner of the Keystone State.

Let’s be clear, Philadelphia has always been a city to watch, especially regarding elections. From a historical standpoint, Philadelphia is the birthplace of American democracy, where both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States were written and signed.

While Pennsylvania, with 19 electoral votes, has always been a key state for both major parties, the particular focus on Philadelphia is an indicator of the city’s importance in elections. Rightfully so. Estimates suggest that one out of every three votes cast in the state of Pennsylvania is cast by folks in Philadelphia and surrounding Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties. In the last presidential election, Philadelphia saw the largest voter turnout in the city’s history, surpassing its highest numbers from 1984.

How the City of Brotherly Love and the surrounding suburbs vote seriously impacts the outcome of the entire Keystone State. That fact has the attention of both major parties. In the last presidential election, 66% of Philly’s eligible voters cast their ballots, showing a spike in growth of over 70,000 voters between 2016 and 2020.

Because of that, Republicans and Democrats are making themselves heard here in the city. Both Former President Trump and Vice President Harris made several visits to Pennsylvania earlier this year, and both have prioritized Philly on their campaign tour. Trump has already made several visits to Philadelphia, once in February for SneakerCon and again in June for a rally on Temple University’s campus. President Biden, a frequent visitor to the Philadelphia area which could be attributed to both its strategic importance and its proximity to his residence in Delaware, made several stops in and around the city before suspending his campaign. Vice President Harris visited Girard College back in May.

One thing is clear, the many strategic visits to Philly and its surrounding areas that have occurred and will occur by both campaigns show they are paying attention to our corner of Pennsylvania. It’s a reminder; do not sleep on Philly.