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Pennsylvania is a state that, simply put, has areas of high Republican and high Democrat voter turnout.
"I'm in not only because the Democrats could take full control of the government," Republican lieutenant governor candidate Jason Richey recently said at the annual Lycoming County Republican Party Committee fall dinner, but because the GOP needs just a governor and two House seats to wrestle full control of the state government for the people.
"We could put conservative economic principles to play that will help the lives of millions and millions of Pennsylvanians," he said.
He strongly believes the GOP candidates will win in this county, but warned that "we've got to win big."
"I've gone around this state and found this place called Philadelphia, and they don't think like us," he said. "It's going to be brutal there. I'm just being honest with you," he said, adding it would be kept close in Pittsburgh.
"That means our turnout has to be up, and Lycoming County is in the middle of it," he said.
That much is true enough because in the primary Garrity-Richey received 50 % of the votes compared to Gov. Josh Shapiro's and running mate Lt. Gov. Austin Davis, 25 %. While U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Dallas, garnered 66.7 % to Rachel Wallace's 33.3 % in the race for 9th Congressional District.
A secret private agenda
Richey admitted he was running on behalf of his three sons -- Justin, Logan and Marcus.
"We love these boys and we want them to live here," he said. "We want our grandkids to live here because that's happiness -- when you're around people you love and care about, there is nothing better."
But the opportunity for them to want to stay has to return.
Richey, himself, is someone who knows about opportunities having matured in the tough, hardscrabble community of Aliquippa, the same steel city near Pittsburgh that was home to the late Chicago Bears head coach and NFL announcer Mike Ditka.
Ditka endorsed Richey the first time he ran for governor.
"Mike used to say tough places make tough people," Richey said.
At the time Richey was growing up, the steel mills were failing.
His mom was a public school teacher and his dad was a mechanic and the family was insulated from the loss of the mills, but he could recall doing Meals on Wheels with his mother to get people food.
He remembered his friend leaving the school class never to be seen again because the family moved away.
Richey wrestled in high school and he went to Allegheny College and became the third wrestler in that college's history to have over 100 wins.
In a little bit of levity, he admitted that people ask him why he mentions wrestling in his speeches, saying he just wanted people to know that he could take Shapiro in a wrestling match.
To make his way financially through college, Richey said he decided to work in one of the last remaining steel mills in his home town.
He recalled it being 130-degrees in the mill and he remembered how some of the more senior millworkers were in the air conditioning rooms, handing out the toughest, hottest jobs at the mill.
He recalled one day, a really big moment in his life, when a steelworker came out of the cooler room and said, "Jason, I heard you're going to law school."
Richey said he replied, "Yes sir, I am."
"He said, 'You study hard, you don't want to end up like me.'"
Richey said he could recall being in the library at 2 a.m. and thinking, "I can go another hour."
Aliquippa taught Richey that "nothing in life is given, it's earned, and if you work hard, there's opportunity, anything can happen -- you might even be a lieutenant governor candidate."
A clear choice
In every election politicians tell voters this is one of the most important but on Nov. 3, Meuser, said at the Lycoming County GOP Committee fall dinner.
Meuser said he believes this election is one of the most important to go out and vote. He said so because of candidates who are among the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).
This election is going to be one of the clearest choices in Pennsylvania history, the GOP candidates warned.
"We need you to go out and make this happen," Richey said. "We have the momentum," he said.
"Right now after that debate, when Stacy kicked Josh Shapiro's butt, since that time millions and millions and millions of dollars have come into "our campaign," he said.
Recently, in Scranton, Richey said seven Democrats joined his campaign on a door knocking.
"That shows you what's happening out there," he said.