Smart Talk: Will Pennsylvania decide the presidency?

• Scott LaMar
  BioRecent Stories

  

  Scott LaMar has worked in both radio and television for more than four decades.
  
  Currently, LaMar is the Host and Executive Producer of The Spark program on WITF-FM, 89.5 & 93.3 in Harrisburg, Pa.
  
  Previously, LaMar was WITF TV’s Sr. Public Affairs producer and produced the station’s award-winning weekly public affairs TV program, Smart Talk.
  
  In addition to his on-air duties, LaMar has moderated political candidate debates, including those for candidates running for Pennsylvania governor and the U.S. Senate and was a regular contributor to BBC World News TV before and after the 2020 U.S. Presidential election.
  
  LaMar often emcees or moderates local events and has gone as far as California to emcee a national event.
  
  The American Society of Civil Engineers honored LaMar with their national Excellence in Journalism award in 2020. He has been nominated for five Mid-Atlantic Emmy Awards.
  
  LaMar and The Spark have been recognized throughout the Central Pennsylvania community including ADVOZ Lancaster’s “Dignity in Dialogue Award”, the South-Central Assembly’s “Regional Citizen Award” and was named a “Humanitarian Hero” by The Humane Society of the United States/Pennsylvania.
  
  A native of Coatesville, Pa., LaMar has also worked as a broadcast news anchor, sports play-by-play announcer and manager.

 Mary Altaffer / AP Photo

Lynn Muchler-Stash, right, an observer with the Democratic Party of Pennsylvania watches as municipal workers sort and count Luzerne County ballots, Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2020, in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

We may know today whether President Trump will win a second term in office or if Joe Biden has been elected the nation’s next president.

Pennsylvania’s 20 electoral votes may be who determines who wins the election or it may not, depending on the votes being tabulated in other states, like Arizona and Nevada. Electoral votes from those two states would give Biden the 270 needed to win the presidency.

However, mail-in ballots are still being counted in Pennsylvania and Trump holds a lead heading into the end of the week.

On Thursday’s Smart Talk, we discuss the latest election news in Pennsylvania. Joining us are WHYY Philadelphia reporter Katie Meyer and David O’Connell, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science, Dickinson College.