'Cannot afford to lose': Swing state voters reveal how Kamala Harris can win them over

27 July 2024

In both 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, Pennsylvania played a decisive role in determining the winner of each contest. Now, voters in the Keystone State are showing a renewed interest with Vice President Kamala Harris emerging as the Democrats' new presumptive nominee.

In a Saturday segment, CNN political reporter John King spoke to predominantly older voters in Pennsylvania about the unprecedented nature of the 2024 election. Many voters grew more convinced that President Joe Biden couldn't win in his home state after his underwhelming performance in the televised June debate against former President Donald Trump, and expressed enthusiasm about Biden exiting the race and passing the torch to Harris.

"From experience, I know how quickly things can do downhill when you are an older person," Pennsylvania voter Darrell Ann Murphy told King. She added that Harris was "the perfect age" and came off as "committed" and "vigorous."

Despite the jolt of excitement around Harris' candidacy, one Black voter in Pennsylvania cautioned the vice president's campaign to not let up on the gas in its offensive against Trump. Civil rights activist Marvin Boyer of Easton, Pennsylvania told CNN that Harris had to be "aggressive."

"I think she's up the challenge in that regard," Boyer said. "[Harris] also reenergizes a strong constituency of the Democratic Party, meaning Black females. So I think it's a good thing in that regard."

"There's still racism and misogyny in this country in 2024, no question. Can we overcome it enough in this election that she can be elected? I hope so," he added.

King also spoke with professor Larry Malinconico, who said he believes college students will be fully engaged in the 2024 election in a way they might not have been had Biden still been the nominee. He told CNN that he was "a little nervous" when asked if he thought America was ready to elect a woman of color to the nation's highest office, but added that he was "absolutely" excited to see Harris debate Trump because "she'll just eat him alive."

"There's an acceptable choice now," he said. "I think part of [Harris' success in Pennsylvania] will depend on her choice of vice president."

Pennsylvania narrowly broke for Trump in 2016, and was one of the three so-called "blue wall" states (along with Michigan and Wisconsin) that gave Trump the Electoral College majority over Hillary Clinton. The blue wall states flipped to Biden in 2020, and if Harris keeps all three in Democratic hands along with Nebraska's second congressional district (Nebraska allocates electoral votes by congressional district), then Democrats are projected to get to 270 electoral votes even if Republicans win all other remaining battleground states.

94 year-old Pennsylvania voter Pat Levin said Harris should enter swing states and demonstrate her "strength" and "stamina" in how she communicates with voters. She added that Democrats "cannot afford to lose" in 2024, saying this November "might be our last free and fair election" if Trump prevails.

Watch King's segment below, or by clicking this link.

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