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Idalia Bisbal moved to Allentown, Pennsylvania, seeking a more affordable retirement, only to find himself hounded by the very high prices he hoped to escape. “It’s worse than ever,” Bisbal told reporters, his words echoing the frustrations of many living on a fixed income. “The prices are high. Everything is going up. You can’t afford food because you can’t afford rent. Utilities are too high. Gas is too expensive. Everything is too expensive.”
This sentiment comes amidst the Trump administration’s second visit to Pennsylvania in a week, with Vice President JD Vance recently holding a rally in the area. Yet, instead of outlining plans to tackle inflation, both Vance and Trump during an earlier visit, opted to blame the Biden administration for the high costs, despite having been out of office for over eleven months.
The Associated Press reports a growing concern within the Trump administration regarding the public’s reaction to the economic impact of its policies. A recent AP-NORC Center poll shows a significant drop in approval for Trump’s handling of the economy, from 40 percent in March to just 31 percent. Despite this, Trump has controversially dismissed affordability concerns as a “hoax.”
In Allentown, Pennsylvania’s third-largest metro area with 125,000 residents, interviews with locals and leaders reveal widespread struggles with the rising costs of gas, heating oil, groceries, healthcare, and housing. These economic anxieties present a major vulnerability for Republicans in key congressional districts, such as the one encompassing Allentown, which could be pivotal in determining control of the U.S. House in next year’s midterms.
Pennsylvania remains a critical “must-win state” in presidential politics. Both Trump and Kamala Harris made multiple visits to Allentown in the previous election cycle. Trump’s victory helped lift Republicans like U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie to success. Now, Mackenzie, who unseated a three-term Democrat, is considered one of the most vulnerable Republicans in Congress. To retain his seat, he must energize Republican voters who supported Trump in 2024 while also appealing to crucial independent voters.
However, the Associated Press notes that few Allentown residents share Trump’s overwhelmingly positive economic assessment, despite his public grading of the economy as an “A+++++.” Idalia Bisbal sharply contrasted this view: “In the rich man’s world. In our world, trust me, it’s not an ‘A.’ To me, it’s an ‘F,’ ‘F,’ ‘F,’ ‘F,’ ‘F,’ ‘F.’” Tony Iannelli, president and CEO of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, also called Trump’s grade a “stretch,” stating, “we have a strong economy but I think it’s not yet gone to the next stage of what I would call robust.”
The struggles faced by residents in places like Allentown highlight the complex economic realities on the ground, starkly contrasting with political rhetoric, and underscoring the high stakes for upcoming elections in this vital swing state. For more details, you can read the Associated Press report.
Source: Original Article
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