Pennsylvania remains a focal point as Election Day draws closer

Pennsylvania has become a popular destination for both presidential candidates — Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump — as the presidential race heads down the final stretch. Following the first presidential debate, polls in Pennsylvania have shown Clinton’s lead extending with just one month until Election Day.

“It was very close before the debate and she got a nice bump — not just from the polls — but from the missteps from Donald Trump in the days following,” WHYY Senior Reporter Dave Davies said. “The latest Franklin & Marshall poll shows Hillary Clinton with a nine-point edge in Pennsylvania, so that’s pretty big.”

While Clinton’s lead has grown in Pennsylvania, there are still is a perceived “enthusiasm gap” with Democratic supporters. That has led to an increased presence around the state, particularly in heavily Democratic Philadelphia.

“The Democrats have a concern about a lack of engagement and enthusiasm, specifically among young voters and among minority voters,” Davies said. “They’re going to get big margins from those constituencies. They’re not going to vote for Trump. 

“The question is are they going to be enthusiastic and are they going to turn out in numbers, he added. “We’ve seen both Michelle Obama and Hillary Clinton go to college campuses here. We’re going to have Bernie Sanders in over the weekend; the President’s been here. It’s very clear they want to get minority and young voters registered and active.”

 For more on the election, including how Trump is trying to increase his suburban presence and the differeing polls in the U.S. Senate race, press play at the top of the page.