Area politicians see more registered voters this election, reflect on JD Vance visit

Two Republican federal lawmakers see gains among rural counties' voter registration ahead of the Nov. 5 election where big races for Pennsylvanians are for president, vice president and U.S. Senator.

Ahead of their appearances before the crowd at Liberty Arena there for the visit by Vice Presidential candidate JD Vance, a U.S. Senator from Ohio, U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, and U.S. Rep. Glenn GT Thompson, R-Howard, discussed how important rural registered voters, hopefully Republican, they said, but whoever -- independents and Democrats alike -- consider casting their vote for former President Donald J. Trump and Vance and Dave McCormick for Senate.

They both said in an interview together that rural registration has improved by over 420,000 since 2020.

Thompson said there were as many votes to capture in the "T" region of the state, which includes the stem along the Susquehanna River and branching out along the Northern Tier and left and right in counties on either side of the river as there are in the city of Philadelphia.

Both are calling for a "swamp" at the polls which will send a clear message in what is going to be a close race that Republicans prevailed.

Both say the voters need to consider whether they want to see a "leftward-driven" Vice President Kamala Harris become president along with Minnesota governor Tim Walz, and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, D-Scranton, or what they called "common sense" policy led by the Trump-Vance team with McCormick as one of the two senators representing the commonwealth.

Thompson alluded to most average families paying $2,000 a month more in inflationary costs under the three and a half years that President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris have been in their respective offices.

"That is close to $25,000 more in tax per year," Thompson said.

Thompson said the key policy in the Trump-Vance and McCormick campaigns has been restoring the nation's energy independence to provide employment and to lower energy costs overall.

Both lawmakers are disturbed beyond words at what has occurred at the U.S. Mexican border, with Meuser saying not only have tens of thousands of illegal migrants entered the country, but there is widespread human trafficking, which is abhorrent, and drug cartels pushing poison into communities such as fentanyl and other dangerous illegal market drugs.

Meuser stressed how important it was to lower the cost of housing which has risen 50 to 70% for the price of a mortgage. Thompson said under Trump gasoline at the pumps was under $2 a gallon, now it is $3.75 a gallon and could increase with the global conditions.

Meuser, a businessman, said the argument about Trump's plan to put tariffs on foreign imports would drive costs down and increase domestic production.

"Why not say, if you charge a 10% tariff, we are going to charge the same?" he asked. "Use the tariffs as a tool."

Afterthoughts on the rally

State Rep. Jamie Flick, R-South Williamsport, representing portions of Lycoming and Union counties in the 83rd District, said what he witnessed was impressive from the standpoint that Liberty Arena was standing room only for the afternoon rally.

He also pointed out what Vance said about overcoming obstacles in his childhood and maybe not coming from a traditional family or a broken home and how that can apply to many, including those in the audience and listening to tape of the rally.

"There were a lot of youth in the audience and I think his comments struck home to a lot of them that no matter what your circumstances were as a child you can overcome those obstacles and you can have and find a path to success," Flick said.

"It was nice to hear him tell a little bit about his story," he said.

Williamsport Mayor Derek Slaughter said after the rally, "I want to express my gratitude to our Williamsport Bureau of Police, Williamsport Bureau of Fire, Department of Public Works and all first responders who allowed the event to run smoothly."

"It was unfortunate to hear the divisive and polarizing rhetoric that Sen. Vance continues to circulate," Slaughter said. "I hope the vice-presidential candidate took the opportunity to drive around Williamsport and witness the growth and historic investments my administration made in recent years, fostered by the policies of President Biden and Vice President Harris."