Trump talks job creation in Erie, Altoona

    Campaign buttons for sale at the Trump rally in Altoona

    Campaign buttons for sale at the Trump rally in Altoona

    Trump made two campaign stops in Pennsylvania on Friday. 

    In Altoona, Trump shared the spotlight with a number of special guests. After welcoming chairman of the Republican National Committee Reince Preibus and Congressman Bill Shuster to the stage to give brief addresses, Trump turned to some local business leaders. 

    He invited Mike McLanahan, owner of McLanahan Corp., to the stage. McLanahan is a bit of a local celebrity, owning Blair County’s oldest business. The steel production company, says Trump, is facing hard times because of over-regulation and over-taxation. 

    “The last eight years have been the toughest in existence,” said McLanahan. “It’s come to having to lay off friends and family that have been working for us for generations.” 

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    Trump had a solution at hand: renegotiate trade deals like NAFTA, reduce regulations and cut taxes on businesses and individuals. 

    “We are not going to let your jobs leave, folks,” he said, to cheers. “We’re not going to let it happen. They are not going to Mexico. They are not going anywhere else. Your companies are gonna stay. We’re going to make them happy. We’re cutting their taxes. We’re cutting your taxes.”

    According to Trump, this was a message that was making headway statewide. 

    While talking in Altoona about renegotiating trade deals, he said, “I said this before in Erie. We had a crowd that was massive in Erie. And someone said it’s like a Democrat area. I don’t think so. I’ll tell you, I don’t think so.” 

    Pennsylvania is considered a swing state, though Hillary Clinton is currently leading Trump in statewide polls.

     

     

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