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Bedford, Pennsylvania is postcard-perfect and has been associated with American presidents for as long as possible, meaning, yes, George Washington slept here.
The cover of the Bedford Gazette said it all. When I picked it up Wednesday as I entered the lovely 18th-century hotel, the headline “County prepares for upcoming elections” was blaring. It’s not just a county issue, it’s a resident issue.
I met Carol at the aptly named Village News restaurant. Back when such things existed, it was not only a newsstand, but now a place for residents of this historic town to share local and national news.
Carol was on her way to buy stamps to mail her husband’s voter registration. Apparently he hasn’t voted in a while, but he did vote this year.
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Is it because he considers this election particularly important? I asked her.
“Maybe so,” she said, with the laconic charm she’d seen around town.
“A country is a business, and it takes businessmen to run it,” she told me. Needless to say, Carol supports Donald Trump.
Her friends Joel, Scott, and the joint’s owner, Tom, agreed. They feel ignored. And they also feel that President Trump will not ignore them. That he will listen. Such voices can be heard all over the country. And that’s a big part of why Trump has a narrow lead in Real Clear Politics’ average Pennsylvania poll.
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I returned to my hotel, the Golden Eagle Inn, climbed the stairs to my room, grabbed my real metal key, and met Meredith and her husband over dinner. They have a marriage of convenience. She fully supports Harris, but admits she wishes Kamala Harris was more clear about who she is.
Her husband won’t vote for Trump or Harris, and plans to vote for local candidates at home in Virginia, but he can’t bring himself to support either candidate on the national stage.
Matt, a local resident, agreed, telling me, “My first priority is my children, not politics.” And before he makes the first move, it’s worth considering that he doesn’t think any politicians have done much to help him.
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But Nathan was different. He heard that I was in town and came looking for me. He had something to say, and he said it beautifully.
“Agriculture is more important than people realize,” he began, “and multiple farmers are being exploited,” he told me. “We have bad trade deals. bill gateswe have Chinese people who are buying up everything.” And he landed proudly, “We have farmers who are paid to not cultivate their property. Why?”
Whether either the candidate or the vice presidential candidate has a good answer to that, I haven’t heard it yet.
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Let me tell you a little about Pennsylvania, where I was born and raised. These people know their history and value it. Every town has a small museum and local story. Have you heard of India’s Adam and Eve? Let’s find out.
The people you met in Bedford? Their families have been here for generations, some since the French and Indian War of the 1750s. They want answers, they want leadership, and they feel it’s sorely lacking.
In the 19th century, Bedford was known for its therapeutic springs. Ten presidents, including James K. Polk, swam at local resorts. The town where I live is still full of American charm and history, as they say, younger than the mountains and older than the trees.
Pennsylvania is thinking seriously about how to respond to its history and its current role as a key battleground state.
These are the places in Pennsylvania that will decide the political future of this nation come November 5, just as the people of this state have done since before there was a nation. And while voters have doubts about both candidates, it’s clear there’s a level of excitement in the Trump camp that Harris can’t match.
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There is anxiety, even fear, about where we are headed as a country, but there is also a firm belief, at least in some circles, that voting matters. That we all really have a voice.
Carroll, whose husband’s voter registration card arrived in the mailbox, has a big chance for Trump if there are enough Carrolls to compete with the Democratic political machine. But this is Pennsylvania, a place that changed the world, and we need to win every vote here.
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