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Donald Trump is once again returning to Western Pennsylvania for a political rally next week, with plans to hold a 7 p.m. rally Monday evening at Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Ed Fry Arena.
In a Thursday-afternoon announcement of the event, his campaign said Trump would "Make American Wealthy, Safe and Great Again — and it's going to start right here in Pennsylvania."
In fact, it hardly ever seems to stop. Both candidates have made frequent stops in the region, a reflection of its significance in a state whose 19 electoral votes could well decide the election.
Trump himself appeared less than a month ago in Johnstown. Democratic nominee Kamala Harris herself visited Johnstown just last week, and spent time in Pittsburgh preparing for a successful debate performance earlier this month.
Harris and her running mate Tim Walz have held more retail-style "pop up" events, often at local businesses. But much like his visit to Johnstown and other campaign stops in the region, Trump's rally will be held at a site outside large cities, and in the shadow of bygone industry. The IUP campus is just a 15-minute drive from the Homer City power plant, a coal-fired facility which closed down last year.
Polling suggests a razor-close race in Pennsylvania, whose 19 electoral votes could decide the winner this November. Democrats were faltering in the state until President Joe Biden withdrew this summer: More recent surveys suggest that Harris has reversed that trend, drawing even with or holding a slight edge over Trump.
Trump had previously announced plans to be in nearby Westmoreland County on Monday, taking part in a discussion about "the Chinese Communist Party's growing threat to America's food supply." That event will be hosted by two old friends: former U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York, a staunch Trump ally in Congress, and Trump-appointed ambassador Richard Grenell.
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