What appeal does Donald Trump have in PA that no other Republican has?

[Cyrusman]

Why is it than no other Republican other than Trump has done well in statewide race in PA the last 10-12 years? I know Toomey won in 2016 but he won with Trump on the ticket. I honestly don't know if he would've gotten the rural margins he needed to win without Trump. No other republican running in any other year, any other statewide race has made it competitive (within 2 points or winning the state). Trump carried it in 2016 and barely lost it in 2020. Even in a losing effort he did better than other republicans have.

There is clearly something about Trump and only Trump (not Trump Candidates) that is appealing to PA voters. What is it?

[America Needs a 13-6 Progressive SCOTUS]

Nothing. Its just that the Dem tickets that were nominated in 2016 and 2020 were bad for the state.

[ProgressiveModerate]

I don't think Trump specifically has unique PA appeal that other Rs can't replicate, but Trumpism def does.

Rmbr pre-2016, Rs were more universally seen as the party of the well-to-do, elite, and buisness people.

But during the Trump era, the more populist messaging was able to squeeze pretty insane margins out of central PA that Romney in 2012 or even Toomey in 2016 couldn't achieve.

This cycle, Mastriano was just awful and didn't run a serious campaign while Oz was toxic for these areas in Central PA, and it really cost them; infact at least for the Senate race, they were the largest swings left from 2020. An R doesn't get Trump levels in rural PA by default.

[King of Kensington]

Nothing. Its just that the Dem tickets that were nominated in 2016 and 2020 were bad for the state.

Why was Biden a bad fit for PA?

[America Needs a 13-6 Progressive SCOTUS]

Nothing. Its just that the Dem tickets that were nominated in 2016 and 2020 were bad for the state.

Why was Biden a bad fit for PA?

Its more that Harris dragged him down hard.

[darklordoftech]

He attacked the Clintons for their record on trade.

[Lil Miss Missy]

I'm not sure Trump has any appeal in Pennsylvania at all, given his candidate's performance in the Senate race.

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Trump's 2016 platform with his focus on trade and bringing back jobs probably was exceptionally popular there and Hillary Clinton was quite weak there. Trump probably isn't strong there now since he doesn't really talk about those issues anymore.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Trump's 2016 platform with his focus on trade and bringing back jobs probably was exceptionally popular there and Hillary Clinton was quite weak there. Trump probably isn't strong there now since he doesn't really talk about those issues anymore.

Economic nationalism has probably always been strong in PA and Trump ran as an economic nationalist candidate. PA's economic nationalist tradition can also be seen in things like Biden seeking to boost American manufacturing and require the buying of American-made in a few contexts.

[TheElectoralBoobyPrize]

Why is it than no other Republican other than Trump has done well in statewide race in PA the last 10-12 years? I know Toomey won in 2016 but he won with Trump on the ticket.

It seems like Republicans have had some bad luck in the gubernatorial races..

2014: Corbett was so unpopular that even a red wave couldn't save him or even make it close
2018: I admit I didn't really follow this race, but was it ever considered competitive?
2022: Mastriano...need I say more?

So yeah that plus Casey being popular and only being up for reelection in good Democratic years is the reason Republicans haven't won a major statewide election except for 2016 in the last 10-12 years.

[Interlocutor is just not there yet]

Trump 2020 - 48.7, loses by 1.2
Trump 2016 - 48.2, wins by 0.7
Bush 2004 - 48.4, loses by 2.5