Pennsylvanians Can Light a Candle on Tuesday, September 10 in Observance of World Suicide Prevention Day.
Annville, PA – September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) is reminding Pennsylvanians of the resources available to those in crisis or needing additional support. Veterans remain at an elevated risk of suicide – and one veteran suicide is one too many. During this month and beyond, DMVA is encouraging everyone to reach out to the veterans in their lives and let them know that someone cares.
“Veterans, especially those in crisis, should never be alone,” said Maj. Gen. Mark Schindler, Pennsylvania’s adjutant general and head of the DMVA. “Small gestures like a phone call, text, email, or quick visit can go a long way in reassuring veterans that they matter. Too many veterans die by suicide. We can all play a role in reducing that number by reaching out to a veteran in need.”
If you are a veteran in crisis — or you are concerned about one — free, confidential support is available 24/7. Call the Veterans Crisis Line by dialing 988 and then pressing 1, send a text message to 838255, or chat online.
“Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you are a veteran in crisis,” said Schindler. “You are not alone. Resources are available to help you through any challenge. We appreciate your service to this nation and care about your well-being.”
As one way to raise awareness for suicide prevention, the DMVA is encouraging everyone to light a candle at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10 in observance of World Suicide Prevention Day. The annual observance is organized by the International Association for Suicide Prevention.
“A small gesture like lighting a candle on World Suicide Prevention Day sends a big message to veterans in crisis,” said Schindler. “Together, we should all be committed to reaching out to veterans – not just on Sept. 10, but all year long. It is the least we can do for those who selflessly served and sacrificed on our behalf.”
Military veterans are 1.5 times more likely to die by suicide than Americans who never served in the military. For female veterans, the risk factor is 2.2 times more likely.
The Veterans Administration (VA) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) continue to partner to reduce suicide. The VA/SAMHSA Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide among our Service Members, Veterans and their Families has been a great success in bringing awareness to this public health crisis.
All 54 states and territories are now taking part in the Governor’s Challenge. The Pennsylvania Governor’s Challenge team, led by the DMVA, works with sister agencies and departments, several educational institutions, and a broad group of not-for-profit and faith-based organizations to develop and implement statewide and regional suicide prevention best practices. The team actively focuses on reducing veteran suicide every day, all year long.
Another resource available to veterans facing challenging times is DMVA’s PA VETConnect, an outreach program that enables the DMVA to concentrate services from within communities where our veterans live. This initiative allows the DMVA to utilize community-based providers to fill gaps in services for homelessness, employment, mental health, addiction and more. Click here for more information: www.dmva.pa.gov/vetconnect.
Ambridge, PA – Today, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED)Secretary RickSiger announced the opening of the new $20 million Main Street Matters program, created by Governor Josh Shapiro to support main streets, downtown business districts, small businesses, and local communities across Pennsylvania.
Included in the Governor’s bipartisan 2024-25 budget, Main Street Matters funding is available for community revitalization efforts in planning, business support, aesthetic improvements, and increased safety and security. Applications for Main Street Matters funding will be accepted through November 15, 2024.
Lt. Gov. Davis and Sec. Siger made the announcement during a visit to the Ambridge Chamber of Commerce and tour of several small businesses in the Beaver County borough.
“Pennsylvania’s downtowns and Main Streets are often windows into our past, but Governor Shapiro and I know they can be economic engines for our future,” said Lt. Gov. Austin Davis. “Our ‘Main Street Matters’ program will invest in rebuilding Pennsylvania’s commercial business districts and revitalizing our communities to become places where businesses can grow and families can thrive.”
DCED is administering the new Main Street Matters program, which builds upon and replaces Keystone Communities. Eligible applicants include counties, cities, boroughs, townships, towns, and home rule municipalities; redevelopment and/or housing authorities; nonprofit organizations including economic development organizations and housing corporations; community development corporations; and business, neighborhood, and downtown improvement districts and authorities.
“The $20 million for the new Main Street Matters program is one of many bold, meaningful investments in the Governor’s bipartisan budget aimed at making Pennsylvania more competitive, growing our economy, and strengthening our communities,” said DCEDSecretary Rick Siger. “Main Street Matters will make downtowns more vibrant, help businesses thrive, and enable our main streets to achieve their full potential as economic hubs.”
Main Street Matters grants vary in range depending upon the application category. Funding can be used for community planning grants, façade grants, business improvement grants, district development grants, accessible housing grants. For detailed eligibility, program, funding, and application guidelines, visit the Main Street Matters web page.
“Investing in our communities has been a priority for me since being elected,” said StateRepresentative Robert Matzie. “Securing funding for our main streets not only ensures that our existing businesses thrive but also allows our towns to attract new businesses.”
“The Main Street Matters program opens up a great investment opportunity to help strengthen and revitalize the downtown areas of our communities as well as continue to support our small businesses which vastly contribute to our local economy,” said State Senator Elder Vogel, Jr.
“The citizens and business owners of Ambridge are thrilled that Governor Shapiro’s budget prioritized investment in the Commonwealth’s downtown main streets,” said Mayor Tina Iorfido. “When main street thrives, or in our case, Merchant Street, so does our whole community. This is an exciting day for Ambridge and for all of our small towns in Pennsylvania.”
«Research shows that investment in a downtown drives higher area employment, fosters new businesses, increases property values, and spurs of further private investment,» said Helen Kissick, Co-Director, Beaver County Chamber of Commerce. «We are grateful for the investment made by the PA government in Pennsylvania downtowns.»
The 2024-2025 bipartisan budget delivers on the Shapiro-Davis Administration’s key priorities to make Pennsylvania more competitive economically. In addition to Main Street Matters, it includes:
$500 million for site development, including $400 million for the PA SITES (Pennsylvania Strategic Investments to Enhance Sites) program;
$20 million in state funding for small minority-owned businesses in Pennsylvania; and
$15 million for tourism marketing to boost our economy, attract more visitors, and support good-paying jobs — building on the Governor’s launch of the Great American Getaway brand to encourage tens of millions within a few hours’ drive to visit Pennsylvania.
You can read Pennsylvania’s first economic development strategy in 20 years here. Get more information on how the Governor’s budget will create economic opportunity for all Pennsylvanians here.
As students across the Commonwealth return to school, the 2024-25 budget signed by Governor Shapiro includes a historic $1.1 billion increase for K-12 education — marking the largest single-year investment in the Commonwealth’s history.
Morrisville, PA – Today, Governor Josh Shapiro and Pennsylvania Department of Education Secretary Dr. Khalid N. Mumin visited Morrisville Middle/Senior High School in Bucks County on the first day of school to meet with students, teachers, and legislators and highlight investments in K-12 public education secured in the 2024-25 budget.
As students across the Commonwealth return to school, they are benefitting from substantial new investments secured by Governor Shapiro and a bipartisan group of legislators. The 2024-25 budget includes a historic $1.1 billion in total increases in K-12 public education funding, the largest year-over-year increase in Commonwealth history. This budget delivers significant progress on building strong and safe school communities, adequately and equitably funding public schools, supporting our teachers, and ensuring that every Pennsylvania child has the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed.
«I was proud to sign a bipartisan budget this summer that commits a historic $11 billion to K-12 public education in Pennsylvania – including $1.1 billion more than last year, the largest increase in Commonwealth history. Investing in our children’s future is a top priority, and under my Administration, we’re delivering for them,» said Governor Shapiro. “This budget builds on our progress by boosting investments in student teacher stipends, mental health resources, and essential school repairs while also improving how we allocate funding, with a new formula that directs dollars to the schools that need them most.”
Morrisville Middle/Senior High School is part of Morrisville Borough School District, which will benefit from the 2024-25 bipartisan budget’s investments. This district is set to receive approximately $5.7 million for the 2024-25 school year thanks to this budget – an increase of over $200,000 compared to last year. The district serves more than 830 students across three schools: Grandview Elementary School, Morrisville Intermediate School, and Morrisville Middle/Senior High School.
«It’s thrilling to be here today with Governor Shapiro, along with students, teachers, and staff as we kick off a new school year. Reflecting on my time as a superintendent, I’m both amazed and inspired by how much education has evolved. But no matter how much changes, the start of a new school year always brings a sense of joy, renewal, and endless possibilities,» said Secretary of Education Dr. Mumin. «What makes this moment even more special is knowing that, thanks to Governor Shapiro’s historic investments for two consecutive years and the unwavering focus this Administration has placed on education in Pennsylvania, our schools are not just improving — they’re poised for generations of greatness.”
The 2024-25 budget delivers significant progress for K-12 education that will give every student the freedom to chart their own course and the opportunity to succeed. This budget includes funding for:
· Historic Basic Education Funding: Building on the investments in the Governor’s first budget, the 2024-25 budget makes another historic down payment in K-12 education funding in Pennsylvania with an increase of $1.1 billion. Of this funding, nearly $526 million will be distributed through a new adequacy formula to drive dollars to the schools that need them most.
· Increases to Special Education: Governor Shapiro’s budget increases special education funding by $100 million to ensure that school districts have the basic resources necessary to provide high-quality special education services to students with disabilities and special needs.
· Cyber Charter Reimbursement: The 2024-2025 budget sets aside $100 million to reimburse schools for payments they must make to cyber charter schools.
· Career and Technical Education and Dual Enrollment: Creating real opportunity for students includes expanding options for them to gain experience, training, and advanced credit for college while still in high school. The Governor’s budget includes a $30 million increase for Career and Technical Education and continues $7 million in support of dual enrollment.
· School Safety and Security and Mental Health Services: Every student deserves to be safe and feel safe in their school. The 2024-25 budget continues a $20 million annual investment in school safety and security improvements and provides $100 million in sustainable funding for environmental repairs and other facility projects in schools – $25 million of which is set aside for solar projects at schools. This budget also delivers $100 million to put more mental health and physical safety resources in our schools.
· Providing Period Products for Students: No student should have to miss school due to not being able to afford basic necessities like menstrual hygiene products. The Governor’s budget invests $3 million to provide menstrual hygiene products at no cost to students in schools.
· Investing in Early Childhood Learning: Every child in Pennsylvania deserves the support and resources to succeed, from infancy through adulthood. The budget invests an additional $2.7 million in the Head Start Supplemental Assistance Program and an additional $15 million for the Pre-K Counts program.
· Universal Free Breakfast for Students: Students cannot be expected to focus, learn, and succeed on an empty stomach. The Governor’s budget ensures that 1.7 million students across Pennsylvania will receive free breakfast at school, regardless of their income.
· Supporting Student Teacher Stipends: To further strengthen the educator pipeline and address the education workforce shortage, the 2024-25 budget doubles funding for student teacher stipends, for a total of$20 million to support Pennsylvanians training to become certified and committed educators in the Commonwealth.
The Governor was joined for a ceremonial bill signing by Morrisville Borough School District Superintendent Dr. Andrew Doster,Morrisville Middle/Senior High School teacher Elizabeth Glaum-Lathbury and student Laila Waters, as well as local and state legislators.
“The passage of the 2024-25 budget means additional dollars for staff, books, and safety and security measures for student; increases in basic education funding; investments in student mental health and free breakfast for our students; and increases in special education funding, cyber charter reimbursement, student health, and early childhood learning,” said Dr. Doster. “Our district is very grateful for these dollars, and it is my honor to say thank you to our governor and our elected officials for all their efforts and making education funding a priority. It is our wish that these efforts and increases in funding continue into the future to further advance the ability of PA public schools – and specifically here at Morrisville – to create dynamic environments that meet the needs and challenge all of our learners and our school.”
“As a teacher, it’s important to me to give our students experiences that maybe they wouldn’t have access to outside of our building. The increased funding in the 2024-25 budget will certainly be put to good use by all of our teachers, and of course, all teachers across the Commonwealth. I’m grateful for this historic support for students by our Governor and the General Assembly,” said Glaum-Lathbury.
“It is an honor to introduce Governor Josh Shapiro, who has worked with our General Assembly to make sure students across the Commonwealth, such as me, and all students have access to great public education and opportunities to get us started for where we want to go with our careers and our futures,” said Waters, a senior at Morrisville High School.
“I want the thank Governor Shapiro for his leadership in Harrisburg to get this significant increase in education funding done,” said Senator Steve Santarsiero. “Because we talk a lot about numbers in Harrisburg, but he understands that those numbers are represented in the faces of these students and teachers here today.”
“I want to thank Governor Shapiro for his leadership in shepherding through a divided legislature a bipartisan budget that invests in our students, our communities, and our taxpayers,” said Representative Jim Prokopiak. “The $1.1 billion dollar increase in education funding is a necessary first step to ensure that we fulfill our constitutional duty to fund public education and will allow all of our students to pursue the American dream, while also working to reduce the burden on property owners.”
For more information on how the 2024-25 budget will create opportunity for Pennsylvanians, visit shapirobudget.pa.gov.
Un grupo de participantes sostienen sus carteles en la cumbre nacional de Moms for Liberty en Washington, el sábado 31 de agosto de 2024. (Foto: AP/Jose Luis Magana)
En su discurso de bienvenida a la reunión anual de Moms for Liberty en la capital de la nación el viernes, la cofundadora del grupo, Tiffany Justice, instó a los participantes a “luchar como una madre” contra la candidatura presidencial demócrata.
Más tarde, después de entrevistar al candidato republicano Donald Trump en el escenario, hizo hincapié en que le apoyaba personalmente para la presidencia. Antes de la entrevista, el público coreó “Trump, Trump, Trump”.
La reunión del fin de semana, que atrajo a padres activistas de todo el país, ha puesto de manifiesto cómo Moms for Liberty se ha decantado totalmente por Trump y sus mensajes políticos a medida que se acercan las elecciones de noviembre. El grupo es oficialmente una organización sin fines de lucro no partidista que dice que está abierta a cualquier persona que quiera que los padres tengan una mayor voz en la educación de sus hijos, sin embargo, había poca pretensión acerca de qué lado de la división política de la nación ha elegido.
Una pintura que se exhibía en un atril junto al puesto de seguridad por el que tenían que pasar los asistentes antes de poder ingresar a la zona de la conferencia mostraba a la vicepresidenta Kamala Harris arrodillada sobre el cadáver de un águila calva, con un símbolo comunista en su chaqueta y la boca chorreando sangre. Una portavoz de Moms for Liberty dijo que no había visto la macabra pintura y señaló que la única señalización oficial del evento incluía el logotipo del grupo.
Es probable que el entusiasmo del grupo por Trump beneficie al expresidente este otoño al solidificar una parte clave de su base: los padres que comparten sus opiniones de que el Departamento de Educación de Estados Unidos está sobredimensionado y es ineficaz, los programas de equidad distraen de los fundamentos académicos, los mandatos de vacunación violan los derechos de los padres y las escuelas que aceptan a niños transgénero ponen en peligro a otros estudiantes.
Pero está mucho menos claro cómo el apoyo de Moms for Liberty a Trump y su agenda afectará a las elecciones para los consejos escolares locales, que se han convertido en algunas de las elecciones más polémicas en muchas votaciones desde 2022, el año después de la fundación del grupo.
Muchas comunidades en las que los candidatos de Moms for Liberty se hicieron con la mayoría del consejo escolar se han visto frustradas por su objetivo de eliminar libros, cuestionar las lecciones en torno a la raza y rechazar las identidades LGBTQ+. La falta de avances hacia la mejora académica ha provocado a su vez un movimiento contrario entre padres y sindicatos de profesores más moderados y liberales.
Moms for Liberty dice que no va a dar su apoyo oficial a las elecciones presidenciales, pero no renuncia a participar. Las fundadoras del grupo escribieron recientemente una carta abierta a los padres advirtiendo que Harris y su compañero de fórmula, el gobernador de Minnesota Tim Walz, exprofesor de estudios sociales en un instituto, serían “el gobierno más antipadres y extremista que Estados Unidos haya conocido jamás”.
El grupo pasó sus tres primeros años convirtiéndose en sinónimo del movimiento por los “derechos de los padres” en los consejos escolares locales, pero recientemente se ha implicado más en la política nacional. Participó en el controvertido plan conservador para la próxima administración republicana, el Proyecto 2025, como integrante de su consejo asesor. El grupo también ha invertido más de 3 millones de dólares en cuatro estados decisivos para las elecciones presidenciales. El dinero ha servido para pagar publicidad en Arizona, Georgia, Carolina del Norte y Wisconsin, incluyendo mensajes críticos con la administración Biden.
Justice indicó que la publicidad ha ayudado a aumentar el número de adhesiones a Moms for Liberty en esos estados y a movilizar a miembros que antes no eran políticamente activos para que se inscribieran en el censo electoral.
“Creo que vamos a ver a muchos nuevos votantes que ahora entienden que su voto y su voz importan”, aseguró en una entrevista.
Añadió que, mientras el grupo sigue apoyando las elecciones a los consejos escolares locales, se siente alentada por las recientes primarias de Florida, en las que el 60% de los candidatos respaldados por Moms for Liberty –algunos de los cuales se presentaban por primera vez– pasaron a las elecciones generales de este otoño.
Pero en contraposición a estos triunfos se produjeron innegables derrotas para el grupo, entre ellas dos en el condado de Sarasota, fuertemente republicano, y dos en el condado de Pinellas, donde un candidato apoyado por Moms for Liberty se hizo con un puesto en el consejo escolar hace dos años.
Estos resultados se producen después de que el pasado otoño los candidatos conservadores tuvieran dificultades para ganarse el apoyo de los votantes en las elecciones a los consejos escolares locales de todo el país. En esas elecciones, Moms for Liberty dijo que sólo el 40% de los candidatos que apoyó ganaron.
Jonathan Collins, codirector del programa de política y educación del Teachers College de la Universidad de Columbia, comentó que los candidatos por los derechos de los padres pueden estar teniendo dificultades en todo el país porque se centran en eliminar las políticas y los materiales existentes en las aulas, en lugar de ofrecer un plan claro y con visión de futuro para subsanar el déficit educativo generado durante la pandemia.
“No están siendo derrotados por personas que responden a los ataques culturales con sus propios ataques culturales”, dijo. “Están siendo derrotados por gente que responde a los ataques culturales con ideas muy, muy prácticas e hiperlocales de mejora de las escuelas y los distritos”.
En todo el país, algunos miembros del consejo escolar respaldados por Moms for Liberty o que llevan a cabo la agenda del grupo han sido destituidos en los últimos meses por miembros de la comunidad que dicen que sus políticas han provocado el caos.
En Woodland, California, al norte de la capital del estado, una integrante del consejo escolar respaldada por miembros de Moms for Liberty fue destituida en marzo después de que, en una reunión del consejo escolar en 2023, planteara el temor de que los niños estuvieran declarándose transgénero “como resultado del contagio social”.
En el sur de California, un administrador del Consejo de Educación del Distrito Escolar Unificado de Temecula Valley fue destituido después de que él y dos de sus colegas votaran a favor de rechazar un plan de estudios sociales porque incluía la historia del movimiento por los derechos de los homosexuales.
Y en la región de Idaho, fuertemente republicana, integrantes de la comunidad de todo el espectro político se alzaron para destituir el año pasado a dos integrantes derechistas de su consejo que pretendían erradicar la teoría crítica de la raza e instituir una agenda conservadora.
Katie Blaxberg, una candidata del condado de Pinellas que se enfrentará al único candidato vinculado a Moms for Liberty que queda para el consejo escolar de ese condado este otoño, afirmó que la “maldad” y la “división” del grupo “no conducen a ningún tipo de buen trabajo”.
Pero un grupo de más de 600 simpatizantes de Moms for Liberty que intercambiaban números de teléfono y escuchaban atentamente presentaciones de diapositivas en Washington el viernes ofrecieron una perspectiva diferente.
Gretchen Schmid, presidenta de una sección de Moms for Liberty en el condado de Orange, Carolina del Norte, dijo que su sección ayudó a promover una nueva ley de derechos de los padres en su estado. Se aprobó el año pasado después de que la Asamblea Legislativa, que está fuertemente manipulada para favorecer a los republicanos, anulara el veto del gobernador demócrata.
Schmid explicó que cuando los padres solían llamar y pedir a las escuelas que compartieran información sobre las tareas, no recibían respuesta, pero ahora, “la gente está recibiendo más respuestas”.
El sábado, la cumbre de cuatro días de Moms for Liberty interrumpió las sesiones durante el día para celebrar una manifestación organizada por una coalición de más de 30 grupos conservadores. Ataviadas con viseras amarillas de pedredría, Rachel Mack y Sarah Recupero dijeron que habían hecho el viaje desde Florida para apoyar la protección de todos los niños, especialmente en los deportes.
“Definitivamente, soy alguien que defiende a las mujeres en los deportes femeninos y a los hombres en los deportes masculinos”, declaró Mack.
A varias calles de distancia, los opositores a Moms for Liberty organizaron un acto alternativo: una celebración de la lectura para contrarrestar la prohibición de libros y abogar por un entorno más inclusivo para los niños. Heidi Ross viajó desde Buckeye, Arizona, para participar como voluntaria en el acto tras enterarse por Facebook.
“Tengo una nieta de dos años y quiero que crezca en un mundo en el que pueda leer lo que quiera y nadie la moleste ni arme un escándalo por ello”, afirmó. “Así que me animé, por ella y por todos los niños”.
After a summer of historic tumult, the path to the presidency for both Kamala Harris and Donald Trump this fall is becoming much clearer.
The Democratic vice president and the Republican former president will devote almost all of their remaining time and resources to just seven states. They will spend hundreds of millions of dollars targeting voters who, in many cases, have just begun to pay attention to the election. And their campaigns will try to focus their messages on three familiar issues — the economy, immigration and abortion — even in the midst of heated debates over character, culture and democracy.
The candidates will debate in one week in what will be their first meeting ever. The nation’s premier swing state, Pennsylvania, begins in-person absentee voting the week after. By the end of the month, early voting will be underway in at least four states with a dozen more to follow by mid-October.
In just 63 days, the final votes will be cast to decide which one of them will lead the world’s most powerful nation.
Privately, at least, both camps acknowledge that victory is no sure thing as they begin the eight-week sprint to Election Day. Harris and Trump are neck-and-neck in most national polls conducted since President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign.
The Harris campaign still put out a memo over the weekend casting itself as “the clear underdogs” in the contest.
“There’s not a scenario here that’s easy,” Harris senior adviser David Plouffe said in an interview. “The pathway to beating Donald Trump, the pathway to 270 electoral votes for Kamala Harris, is exceedingly hard, but doable. And that’s just a reality.”
Trump, meanwhile, rejects any indicators that suggest Harris is ahead even as he lashes out at her in deeply personal and sometimes apocalyptic terms, declaring that “our country is finished” if she wins.
“As we move past Labor Day, we will really get into the time where voters start to harden their opinions,” said James Blair, the Trump campaign’s political director. “We feel pretty good about things. We feel energized. Our people are energized. But there’s certainly plenty of work to be done.”
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris waves as she arrives for campaign events, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, in Pittsburgh. (Photo: AP/Jacquelyn Martin)
The electoral map settles on seven states
Just over a month ago, Trump allies suggested Democratic-leaning states like Minnesota, Virginia or even New Jersey might be in play. Neither side believes that is still the case on Labor Day weekend.
In replacing Biden as the party’s nominee, Harris breathed new life into the Democrats’ political prospects, especially across the Sun Belt states of Arizona, Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina. All four states have significant numbers of African Americans and Latinos, traditionally Democratic constituencies who were down nationally on Biden but appear to have come home to rally behind Harris.
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham was among the senior GOP officials who brokered a peace between Trump and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, whose feud threatened to undermine the Republican effort in the state. Graham told The Associated Press he was worried about Georgia’s shift leftward.
“Trump was up 5 or 6 points, and all over the course of a month it’s become much more competitive,” he said.
Republican pollster Paul Schumaker, an adviser to North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, said even a slight uptick in the Black vote has the potential to give Harris the edge in North Carolina, pointing to Mecklenberg County, the home of the Charlotte metro area, but also fast-growing counties such as Durham and Wake.
“If Kamala Harris could get them to turn out at the rate of Republicans in rural North Carolina, game over for Republicans,” Schumaker said of Black voters.
At the same time, Trump remains decidedly on offense in the Midwestern battlegrounds of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, which form the so-called Democratic “blue wall” that he narrowly carried in 2016 and barely lost in 2020.
Those seven states — in addition to swing districts in Nebraska and Maine that each award single Electoral College votes — will draw virtually all of the candidates’ attention and resources over the next eight weeks.
Trump is investing more advertising dollars in Pennsylvania than any other state through Election Day.
A Trump victory in Pennsylvania alone would make it much more difficult for Harris to earn the 270 electoral votes needed to win the presidency. Harris’ team insists she has multiple pathways to victory.
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign event at Northwestern High School in Detroit, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024. (Photo: AP/Jacquelyn Martin)
The Democrats’ organizing advantage
In the fight to frame the election on the air and reach voters in person, Democrats currently have a decided advantage.
Harris’ team is on pace to outspend Trump’s camp 2-to-1 in television advertising over the next two months. And even before Biden made way for Harris, the Democrats wielded superior campaign infrastructure in the states that matter most.
Harris’ team, which includes her campaign and an allied super PAC, have more than $280 million in television and radio reservations for the period between Tuesday and Election Day, according to the media tracking firm AdImpact. Trump’s team, by contrast, has $133 million reserved for the final stretch, although that number is expected to grow.
Trump’s side is actually narrowly outspending Harris’ on the airwaves in Pennsylvania, where both sides will spend more than $146 million between Tuesday and Election Day, according to AdImpact, a figure that dwarfs that of any other state. Georgia is drawing nearly $80 million in ad spending over the campaign’s final eight weeks.
But in the other five battleground states, Harris largely has the airwaves largely to herself — at least for now.
Trump and his allied super PACs have made only marginal ad reservations in Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin, North Carolina and Nevada to date. Harris’ team, by comparison, is investing no less than $21 million in each of the five states, according to an AdImpact analysis.
Harris’ team also boasts more than 300 coordinated offices and 2,000 staff on the ground in swing states, according to her campaign’s weekend memo.
Blair, the Trump campaign’s political director, disputes that Democrats have as big an organizing advantage as those numbers make it seem. He pointed to outside allies that will organize for Trump are well-funded, including a new effort backed by billionaire Elon Musk.
Trump’s campaign on Tuesday said it also has more than 100 dedicated campaign offices in key states, which are backed by another 200 existing GOP offices dedicated to Republican victories this fall.
Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives at a campaign event, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, in Johnstown, Pa. (Photo: AP/Alex Brandon)
Here’s what the polls say
Both candidates are locked in close races across the seven top swing states. Democratic pollster John Anzalone said Harris “put the Democrats back in the game to where it’s kind of a toss-up.”
But now comes the hard part, Anzalone said.
“Post Labor Day, when the bell rings, there is a battle for a slim universe of — you can call them anything you want: persuasion voters, swing voters, independent voters — and it’s pretty small, and that’s where each side gets a billion dollars,» Anzalone said.
Many independents appear to find both candidates unsatisfying, according to an AP-NORC poll conducted in August.
For now, Harris also has a slight advantage on some key traits among independents, while she and Trump are about even on others.
For example, about 3 in 10 independents say that “honest” describes Harris better, while about 2 in 10 say it describes Trump better. About 3 in 10 also say that “committed to democracy” describes Harris better, while less than 2 in 10 say it describes Trump better.
The candidates were about equally likely to be perceived by independents as capable of winning the election, capable of handling a crisis, and “caring about people like you.”
President Joe Biden arrives Air Force One at Pittsburgh International Airport in Pittsburgh, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, to campaign with Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris on Labor Day. (Photo: AP/Susan Walsh)
Who is the ‘change candidate’?
The race may ultimately be decided by whichever candidate can most successfully cast themselves as the “change candidate” given that about 7 in 10 voters say the country is heading in the wrong direction, based on an AP-NORC poll conducted in late July after Biden withdrew from the race.
Trump was the face of change when he won the 2016 election. And even after serving in the White House for four years, he continues to energize millions of frustrated voters who embrace his brash leadership style and unwillingness to follow the traditional rules of politics.
Harris has been Biden’s vice president for nearly four years, yet the historic nature of her candidacy — she would be the first woman president — allows her to make a convincing case that she represents a new direction for the country, said veteran Democratic strategist James Carville.
Still, he’s worried about his party’s “severe underperformance” in the so-called “blue wall” states in recent elections.
“I’ll feel good after the election,» Carville said. «Let’s get the hay in the barn. There’s still a lot of hay out there in the field.”
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden arrive at a campaign event at the IBEW Local Union #5 union hall in Pittsburgh, on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
PITTSBURGH— Vice President Kamala Harris used a joint campaign appearance with President Joe Biden in the critical swing state of Pennsylvania on Monday to say that U.S. Steel should remain domestically owned — concurring with the White House’s monthslong opposition to the company’s planned sale to Japan’s Nippon Steel.
Her comments came during a rally before cheering union members marking Labor Day in the industrial city of Pittsburgh, where Harris said U.S. Steel was «an historic American company and it is vital for our country to maintain strong American steel companies.»
«U.S. Steel should remain American-owned and American-operated, and I will always have the backs of America’s steelworkers,” she said.
That echoes Biden, who repeated Monday what he’s said since March — that he opposes U.S. Steel’s would-be sale to Nippon, believing it would hurt the country’s steelworkers. It also overlaps with Republican former President Donald Trump. It’s little surprise that Harris would agree with Biden on the issue, but it nonetheless constitutes a major policy position for the vice president, who has offered relatively few of them since Biden abandoned his reelection bid and endorsed his vice president in July.
Biden took the stage first and was met with chants of “Thank You, Joe” as he and Harris appeared in an International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers hall.
The president called Harris the only “rational” choice for president in November. He said choosing her to be vice president was the “single best” decision of his presidency and told the union members that electing her will be “the best decision you will ever make.”
Biden also started to say, “Kamala Harris and I are going to build on this” as if he were still running and she was his running mate — but he corrected himself. It underscored just how much the race has changed and how Harris has been careful to balance presenting herself as “a new way forward” while remaining intensely loyal to Biden and the policies he has pushed.
Her delivery is very different — and in some cases she’s pushed to move faster than Biden’s administration — but the overall goal of expanding government programs to buoy the middle class is the same.
“We know this is going to be a tight race till the very end,” Harris told the Pittsburgh crowd.
The joint rally with Biden was Harris’ second of the day and followed Pittsburgh’s Labor Day parade, one of the country’s largest. It was their first joint appearance at a campaign event since the election shakeup six weeks ago.
Harris opened her Labor Day campaigning solo with an event in Detroit, where hundreds of audience members wore bright yellow union shirts and hoisted “Union strong” signs. The vice president said “every person in our nation has benefited” from unions’ work.
«Everywhere I go, I tell people, ‘Look, you may not be a union member, you’d better thank a union member,” Harris said, noting that collective bargaining by organized labor helped secure the five-day work week, sick pay and other key benefits and solidify safer working conditions.
“When unions are strong, America is strong,” she said.
The 81-year-old Biden has spent most of his lengthy political career forging close ties with organized labor. The White House said he asked to introduce Harris in Pittsburgh — instead of the usual other way around — because he wanted to highlight her record of supporting union workers.
In addition to opposing the Nippon Steel sale, Biden has endorsed expanding tariffs on imported Chinese steel — another area of policy agreement with Trump, who has cheered steeper foreign tariffs on many imports. Still, in a statement Monday, U.S. Steel said it remains “committed to the transaction with Nippon Steel, which is the best deal for our employees, shareholders, communities, and customers.”
“The partnership with Nippon Steel, a long-standing investor in the United States from our close ally Japan, will strengthen the American steel industry, American jobs, and American supply chains, and enhance the U.S. steel industry’s competitiveness and resilience against China,” the company said, noting that it employs nearly 4,000 people in Pennsylvania alone.
Nippon Steel reacted to Harris’ comments by saying it was confident that its “acquisition of U. S. Steel will revitalize the American steel rust belt, benefit American workers, local communities, and national security in a way no other alternative can.” The Harris campaign released a statement countering that sentiment from David McCall, president of the United Steelworkers union, who said Harris’ opposition to the sale “once again made it clear that she will always stand up for steelworkers.”
The 59-year-old Harris has sought to appeal to voters by positioning herself as a break from former president Trump’s acerbic rhetoric while also looking to move beyond the Biden era. Harris events feel very different from Biden’s, which usually featured small crowds. But the vice president’s agenda includes the same issues he’s championed: capping the cost of prescription drugs, defending the Affordable Care Act, growing the economy, helping families afford child care — and now her position on the sale of U.S. Steel.
The vice president has promised to work to lower grocery store costs to help fight inflation. She’s moved faster than Biden in some cases, calling for using tax cuts and incentives to encourage home ownership and ending federal taxes on tips for service industry employees. But she’s also offered relatively few specifics on major policies, instead continuing to side with Biden on top issues.
Harris appeared onstage with Biden after the president addressed the opening night of last month’s Democratic National Convention, but they had not shared a microphone at a political event since Biden himself was running against Trump. At that time, the campaign was using Harris mostly as its chief spokeswoman for abortion rights, an issue they believe can help them win in November as restrictions grow and health care worsens for women following the fall of Roe v. Wade.
For more than 3 1/2 years, Harris has been one of Biden’s chief validators. Now the tables are turned, as Harris looks to lean on Biden — a native of Scranton, Pennsylvania — to help win the potentially decisive state.
Although the vice president has appeared more forceful in speaking about the plight of civilians in Gaza, as Israel’s war against Hamas there nears the 11-month mark, she also has endorsed Biden’s efforts to arm Israel and bring about a hostage deal and ceasefire. Before she left Washington for Detroit, Biden and Harris met in the White House Situation Room earlier Monday with the U.S. hostage deal negotiating team.
“History will show what we here know: Joe Biden has been one of the most transformative presidents,» Harris said in Pittsburgh. “And as we know Joe still has a lot of work to do.”
When that event was over, Biden and Harris rode back to the airport together in the presidential limo. Air Force One and Air Force Two subsequently took off within moments of each other to return to suburban Washington — though the president and vice president never travel on the same plane for continuity of government reasons, just in case of an air emergency.
Julie Chávez Rodriguez, born into a lineage of American labor and civil rights activists, has become a prominent figure in American politics. As the granddaughter of labor leader César Chávez and labor activist Helen Fabela Chávez, her commitment to social justice is deeply ingrained. Raised in Tehachapi, California, she grew up immersed in activism, with her parents being full-time volunteers for the United Farm Workers of America (UFWA).
Today, she is the campaign manager for Vice President Kamala Harris’s 2024 presidential campaign and recently transitioned from her role in President Joe Biden’s re-election campaign. Chávez Rodriguez’s journey from community outreach to national politics reflects her dedication to labor rights and political engagement.
In an exclusive interview with Impacto, Julie Chávez Rodríguez shared insights about her experiences, the importance of Latino voters, and the impact of the Biden administration on working families. Speaking on Labor Day, a significant day for labor rights, she emphasized the importance of Vice President Kamala Harris’s work in ensuring that Latino communities not only survive but thrive in the U.S.
«I have seen the enthusiasm and excitement surrounding Vice President Harris, and it is no surprise to me,» Chávez Rodriguez said. «I had the opportunity to work with her as her State Director in California, and I witnessed firsthand her dedication to fighting for affordable healthcare, good-paying jobs, and quality education. This is why people are energized across the country.»
Reflecting on her journey from working with the Obama administration to her current role, she spoke about the hard work that has defined her career. «I’m an organizer by training, and when I came to lead President Biden’s campaign, I focused on building an organization in all states, especially in battleground states like Pennsylvania. We made sure to reach Latino voters, recognizing that many lead busy lives, often juggling multiple responsibilities. We needed to meet them where they were.»
Chávez Rodriguez’s family legacy plays a significant role in shaping her perspective on activism. «I feel honored to have been raised by such incredible figures like my grandfather, César Chávez, and my father, Arturo Rodríguez. They, along with leaders like Dolores Huerta, taught me the importance of standing up for workers’ rights and fighting for justice. Today, that fight continues.»
Fotografía del 25 de mayo de 2022 cedida por Compassion & Choices donde aparece la activista Dolores Huerta, una de latinas más influyentes de Estados Unidos, mientras posa en su casa en Sacramento, California. EFE/Amanda Villegas/Compassion & Choices.
When asked why some Latinos support candidates who have been aggressive toward the migrant community, she acknowledged the challenges of misinformation. «There is a lot of disinformation targeting our communities. That’s why it’s crucial to have trusted leaders working hand-in-hand with us to build trust with Latino voters. We need to ensure that they are informed and empowered to make decisions that reflect their best interests.»
As the campaign progresses, Chávez Rodríguez remains focused on continuing the hard work needed to win. «Every day counts, and we are committed to reaching Latino voters in every way possible, whether it’s in Spanish, English or Spanglish. We are determined to make sure that their voices are heard.»
Chávez Rodriguez also highlighted the administration’s efforts in Puerto Rico, where significant investments have been made in rebuilding schools and hospitals and modernizing the electrical grid. «Vice President Harris and President Biden understand the importance of supporting Puerto Rico, and their leadership has ensured that billions of dollars are being invested in the island’s recovery.»
Fotografía cedida por los archivos de la Casa Blanca donde aparece Julie Chávez Rodríguez, nieta del histórico activista latino de los derechos civiles y laborales César Chávez, quien fue nombrada por el presidente Joe Biden como directora de la Oficina de Asuntos Intergubernamentales de la Casa Blanca. (Foto: EFE/Archivos Casa Blanca)
As the 2024 campaign intensifies, Julie Chávez Rodriguez remains a key figure in ensuring that Latino voters are engaged and represented. Her commitment to social justice, inspired by her family’s legacy, continues to drive her work in shaping the future of American politics.
El presidente de Estados Unidos, Joe Biden (c), recibe aplausos al subir al escenario junto a la vicepresidenta estadounidense y candidata presidencial demócrata Kamala Harris (i) durante un evento de campaña en Pittsburgh, Pensilvania, EE. UU. este 2 de septiembre de 2024. EFE/EPA/Rebecca Droke
La candidata demócrata a las elecciones de noviembre, Kamala Harris, y el presidente estadounidense, Joe Biden, participaron este lunes en Pittsburgh (Pensilvania) en su primer acto de campaña juntos desde que la actual vicepresidenta aceptara la nominación de su partido para la carrera a la Casa Blanca.
En el evento, ambos subrayaron su apoyo a los trabajadores del acero de la corporación U.S. Steel para que esta siga siendo de propiedad nacional y oponiéndose a su venta a la compañía japonesa Nippon Steel.
«Los estadounidenses son los mejores trabajadores del acero del mundo (…) Esta icónica empresa estadounidense durante más de un siglo va a permanecer siendo estadounidense», reivindicó Biden, que tomó la palabra primero, ante representantes del sindicato del acero en Pensilvania y un público conformado principalmente por trabajadores de este sector.
Durante su discurso, el mandatario sacó pecho de su gestión en esta legislatura, repitiendo el dato de «16 millones de nuevos puestos de trabajo creados y 800.000 solo en empleos en fábricas», argumentando que Donald Trump «prometió inversiones, pero no hizo nada» cuando fue presidente.
«Gracias a nuestra ley de infraestructura, Pensilvania hasta ahora ha recibido 17.000 millones de dólares y más de 2.000 proyectos de agua limpia o internet de alta velocidad asequible, entre otros», añadió Biden.
Pensilvania es uno de los conocidos como «estados bisagra» en los que no hay una inclinación marcada por el Partido Demócrata o por el Partido Republicano y donde las elecciones de noviembre se pueden decidir por unos pocos votos.
Consciente de ello, Biden volvió a apelar al sentimiento de este estado de tradición manufacturera alegando que «Wall Street no construyó América; la clase media construyó América, y los sindicatos construyeron la clase media», para regocijo del público.
Actualmente, según la media de encuestas de FiveThirtyEight, Harris recibiría un 47,1 % de los apoyos a nivel nacional en los comicios de noviembre, mientras que Trump se haría con un 43,8 %.
En su propósito de seguir ampliando su ventaja ante el candidato republicano, Harris coincidió en que es «vital» que empresas como U.S. Steel sigan siendo estadounidense y que, de llegar al Despacho Oval, luchará por «un futuro de dignidad, respeto y oportunidades para todas las personas.
«Sabemos que una de las formas más elevadas de patriotismo es luchar por los ideales de nuestro país. De eso tratan estas elecciones y de la promesa de América, que es lo que ustedes hacen desde los sindicatos todos los días», apuntó la vicepresidenta en este evento celebrado en el festivo nacional por el Día del Trabajo.
Antes del encuentro, Harris intervino en un mitin en Detroit, en el también «estado bisagra» de Míchigan, donde estuvo acompañada por otros líderes sindicales, entre ellos Shawn Fain, líder del poderoso sindicato United Auto Workers (UAW).
En este acto, la vicepresidenta y candidata defendió el poder de los sindicatos para aumentar el progreso y la economía de Estados Unidos y prometió promulgar una ley que termine «con la destrucción de sindicatos de una vez por todas».
«Mientras luchamos por hacer avanzar a nuestra nación, Donald Trump pretende hacernos retroceder al pasado, pero no vamos a volver atrás», afirmó sobre el aspirante republicano, que no tuvo actos de campaña en el Día del Trabajo.
Mientras tanto más de 10.000 trabajadores de 25 hoteles de Estados Unidos se declararon el huelga el lunes luego de elegir el fin de semana feriado por el Día del Trabajo para intensificar sus demandas de mejores salarios, cargas de trabajo más justas y la reversión de los recortes de la era de la pandemia de COVID-19.
El sindicato Unite Here, que representa a las camareras de piso y a otros trabajadores de la hostelería en huelga, declaró que 200 trabajadores del Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor han sido los últimos en abandonar sus puestos.
Casi la mitad de los 5.000 trabajadores en huelga se encuentran en Honolulu. Miles de trabajadores también están en huelga en Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, San Diego y San José, California. Las huelgas de los hoteles Marriott, Hilton y Hyatt tenían una duración prevista de entre uno y tres días.
Fotografía de archivo en la que se registró un instante de un partido de la NFL entre los Green Bay Packers y Philadelphia Eagles, equipos que protagonizarán en el primer partido de la liga estadounidense de fútbol americano en Suramérica. EFE/Tom Mihalek
Dan Ryan, director de viajes y logística los Philadelphia Eagles, informó este lunes que el equipo viajará el miércoles a la ciudad brasileña de São Paulo, donde el próximo viernes se medirá con los Green Bay Packers, en partido de la semana 1 de la temporada 2024 de la NFL.
Eagles y Packers protagonizarán el primer partido de una temporada regular de la NFL en la historia que se juega en América del Sur.
«Es el primer partido en Sudamérica. Hay una gran diferencia cultural y eso es genial. Es emocionante y estamos listos para un viaje exitoso. Lo estamos tratando como un partido típico de visitante,», afirmó Ryan.
Los Eagles viajarán el miércoles por la mañana y se calcula que arriben 10 horas después a São Paulo.
El jueves harán un reconocimiento del Corthinians Arena, estadio con capacidad para 49.205 espectadores que albergará el juego, este viernes en la noche.
Regresarán a Estados Unidos una vez terminado el partido.
El directivo reconoció que fueron varias las visitas que tuvieron que hacer en meses pasados para tener una eficiente planificación de lo que será su debut en la temporada.
«Las primeras visitas fueron para tener una idea de la infraestructura y lo que podíamos hacer. Ya en visitas posteriores personalizamos la experiencia lo mejor que pudimos. Hicimos el cronograma, hotel, logística del tráfico en São Paulo y todo lo que necesitamos», detalló el directivo de Eagles.
Dan Ryan negó que viajar hasta el sur del continente en la apertura de la temporada sea algo que vaya a tener consecuencias negativas para el equipo en el partido de la semana 2 en el que Eagles recibirá a Atlanta Falcons el próximo 16 de septiembre.
«A pesar de que jugaremos en un lugar muy lejano en la semana uno, lo único que hicimos fue incluir en nuestro calendario normal ese traslado, es un día de viaje, pero que nos permitirá tener espacio porque nuestro partido de la semana 2 es en lunes por la noche y es en nuestra casa», mencionó.
Respecto al material de trabajo que el equipo requerirá, dijo que se dividió en dos. La primera, que incluye lo no perecedero, como cintas de vídeo de los partidos, entre otras cosas, se envió por barco a principios de junio y llegó tres semanas después.
La segunda parte, incluidos los nuevos uniformes con fundas y cascos en color negro que usarán los jugadores para este juego, partirán en un avión de carga antes de que viajen jugadores, entrenadores y directivos del equipo.
