President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks at a campaign rally at Lancaster Airport, Monday, Oct. 26, 2020 in Lititz, Pa.
Jacqueline Larma / AP Photo
President Donald Trump campaigns in Lancaster County and two other counties
The Trump campaign is focused on winning the key battleground state, seen as key to his re-election effort.
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Anne Danahy -
Alanna Elder/WITF
Jacqueline Larma / AP Photo
President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks at a campaign rally at Lancaster Airport, Monday, Oct. 26, 2020 in Lititz, Pa.
Be patient: Results of the Nov. 3 election in Pennsylvania, and across the country, likely won’t be known for days. Here’s how WITF’s newsroom will cover election night and beyond.
(Lititz) — President Donald Trump has held three rallies in Pennsylvania, about a week before Election Day.
During a stop in Lancaster County, his message to supporters was he would preserve manufacturing and industry in the state.
After a visit to Allentown, Trump stopped at the Lancaster County Airport in Lititz, where a crowd of his supporters stood shoulder-to-shoulder.
Everyone in the audience had their temperatures taken as they entered , but many were not wearing masks.
In his speech, the President touted his administration’s record on the economy, immigration, and especially trade.
Alex Brandon / AP Photo
President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a campaign rally at Lancaster Airport, Monday, Oct. 26, 2020, in Lititz, Pa.
He lauded the renegotiated US-Mexico-Canada deal in an appeal to workers connected to the manufacturing and energy industries.
“He was a cheerleader for NAFTA, and I ended it. Remember everyone used to say, we’re going to end it, and everyone smiled, they said hey, look. Give it a shot.,” he told the crowd. “And I got it done. Nobody thought I could get that done.
Former Vice President Joe Biden has not made new trade deals a part of his campaign, and has promised to invest in American manufacturing.
His campaign responded to Trump’s three campaign stops in the state with a statement matching Trump’s focus on trade and jobs – criticizing the President for giving tax breaks to companies that outsource and losing jobs in a trade war with China.
Earlier in the day in Allentown, the president falsley suggested Governor TomWolf had tried to limit the size of his rallies for political reason. He then suggested in the future he might withhold federal aid from Pennsylvania.
Trump pretended to be on the phone with the governor.
“So Tom Wolf, next time give us a little notice, governor. Your governor made it almost impossible for us to find any site for the event. “And I’ll remember it, Tom. I’m going to remember it, Tom,” he said. “‘Hello, Mr. President, this is Governor Wolf, I need help, I need help.’ You know what? These people are bad.”
Governor Wolf’s office couldn’t be reached for comment. Trump held three rallies across the state Monday. Throughout 2020 Trump has been critical of Wolf and other Democratic governors’ pandemic shut down orders to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Later in the afternoon, Trump held a rally at the Altoona-Blair County Airport in Martinsburg, slamming his opponent Joe Biden and promising a booming economy and a COVID-19 vaccine.
Alex Brandon / AP Photo
Supporters cheer before President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Lancaster Airport, Monday, Oct. 26, 2020, in Lititz, Pa.
“A vote for Biden is a vote to off-shore your jobs, ban fracking and deliver economic ruin to Pennsylvania and to your families,” Trump said. “In 2016, Pennsylvania voted to fire this corrupt far-left political establishment and you elected an outsider as president who is finally putting America first.”
Biden has said he would ban new fracking on federal land, not outright.
The natural gas industry and fracking have had a major role in Pennsylvania, which is considered a key state in the election.
Lowering drug prices, supporting police and cutting taxes were other campaign pledges Trump touched on during the rally. It was part of his campaigning through Pennsylvania Monday and drew thousands of supporters.
Among them was Leslie Hoover of Altoona. She thinks Trump is doing a great job.
“I like the fact that he’s not your typical politician,” Hoover said. “I like what he’s done for the economy. I think that he’s done the best that he could possibly do when it comes to the virus.”
Trump won Pennsylvania by a narrow margin in 2016. Polls give Biden the edge in the current race.
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