Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, and former President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, each paid visits to Allentown, Pennsylvania, of the Lehigh Valley on Monday and Oct. 29, respectively. The rallies, both in front of energetic and capacity crowds, occurred just before Election Day in one of the more politically diverse regions of the most closely-contested swing state this election.
“Your voice is your power”
Harris rallied at Muhlenberg College in Allentown on Monday, speaking for around 20 minutes. She spoke of the importance of voting and vowed to protect abortion rights and the economy. She also spoke of the “optimism” of the United States under a potential Harris presidency.
“We have an opportunity in this election to finally turn the page on a decade of politics that have been driven by fear and division,” Harris said. “We’re done with that, and we’re exhausted with it.”
One protest interrupted Harris midway through her speech, to which Harris responded “I don’t believe people who disagree with me are the enemy.”
“I’ll give them a seat at the table because that’s what real leaders do,” she said of fellow politicians who disagreed with her. Harris never said Trump’s name during the speech.
“Your vote is your voice and your voice is your power,” Harris said toward the end of the speech. She led the crowd in a chant of “If we fight, we win!” to raucous applause.
Harris’s speech was preceded by multiple speakers: Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro, rapper Fat Joe, U.S. Rep. Susan Wild of Pennsylvania’s 7th District and Allentown Mayor Matt Tuerk.
“I want a president who wants to lift all of us up,” Shapiro said of the Vice President. “I want a president who’s got a big heart like Kamala Harris.”
“Let’s get this done for all of us,” said Wild, who also promoted her campaign against opponent Ryan Mackenzie.
“This nation belongs to you”
Trump spoke to a full crowd at the PPL Center in Allentown for around 85 minutes. He discussed topics like immigration, international affairs and the economy and sought to mobilize Latino voters after controversial comments about Puerto Rico were made at his Madison Square Garden rally days prior.
“I’ve done more for Puerto Rico than any president by far,” Trump said, saying he’d deliver “the best future for Puerto Ricans and Hispanic Americans.”
“We are not going to let it happen any longer, we are going to have the biggest victory in the history of our country on November fifth,” Trump said, asking the crowd if they were “better off four years ago.”
He continued by saying that Harris would cause more poverty among Latinos should she be elected.
The former president also talked about immigration, saying that illegal immigration at the Southern border caused a “dumping ground” in the country. On the topic of inflation and the economy, he pledged to “make America affordable again.”
“I will massively cut taxes for workers and small businesses, and we will have no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and no tax on Social Security benefits for our seniors,” he continued. “And I’ve just announced that I will support a tax credit for family caregivers who take care of a parent or loved one.”
“This nation belongs to you,” Trump said toward the end of this speech. He led the crowd in the “YMCA” before departing, often a trademark of his rallies.
Other speakers at Trump’s rally included Zoraida Buxó, a shadow senator from Puerto Rico and Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fl.).
