How often have Harris and Trump visited Philly and its suburbs this fall? 

If there was any doubt that Philly and the surrounding counties would play a pivotal role in picking the next president, the candidates have been doing their best to lay it to rest.

Vice President Kamala Harris in particular has visited repeatedly this fall as she tries to encourage the city’s heavily Democratic electorate to get to the polls next Tuesday. She barnstormed through West Philly on Sunday and has made several other trips to the region in the last few weeks.

Former President Donald Trump hasn’t been in Philadelphia proper recently since their debate at the National Constitution Center — except, perhaps, for takeoffs and landings at PHL — but he’s made a few campaign stops nearby. They include an event in Drexel Hill on Tuesday, and an unusual rally in Montco a couple weeks ago that got national attention. 

Southeast Pa. has been an important destination for presidential candidates for decades, but we do seem to be getting more last-sprint visits this month than in the same period four years ago.

In late 2020, then-candidate Joe Biden was a constant presence in his hometown of Wilmington, Del., but he seems to have made just one visit to Philly in October, appearing in an ABC live town hall at the National Constitution Center. 

He also went to Bucks County and Chester later that month, and in the first few days of November was in Chester and Philly twice, according to an unofficial calendar of his travels.

Trump, meanwhile, was all over Pa. in late October and early November 2020, including Newtown, Bucks County, where he gave a speech at a Revolutionary War historic site. That seems to have been his only stop in the immediate Philly area in the final days of the campaign, however, per the calendar.

Here are the recent Harris and Trump events in the area. Note that we’re not including events held by their spouses, the vice presidential candidates, other former presidents, governors, celebrity surrogates (sorry, Mark Ruffalo and Don Cheadle), etcetera.

Harris visits

Philadelphia, Sept. 17
In her second visit to Philly that week (following the Sept. 11 debate), the veep was interviewed by a National Association of Black Journalists panel at WHYY and spoke at the Community College of Philadelphia.

Bucks County, Oct. 16
Harris spoke to a group of Republicans at Washington Crossing State Park.

Chester County, Oct. 21
She conversed with former Republican Congresswoman Liz Cheney in Malvern.

Philadelphia, Delaware County, Oct. 23
The vice president had a photo-op with Mayor Cherelle Parker at the airport, ordered pastrami at the Famous 4th Street Deli, and did a CNN town hall in Aston.

Philadelphia, Oct. 27
Harris visited a church, barbershop and bookstore in West Philly, met with youth athletes, and stopped by a Puerto Rican restaurant.

Trump visits

Montgomery County, Oct. 14
The former president held a rally at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Upper Providence Township. After two pauses for medical emergencies in the crowd, the event turned into a sort of concert, with Trump silently swaying along as music played.

Bucks County, Oct. 20
Trump worked the fry cooker at a McDonald’s in Feasterville-Trevose, Lower Southampton Township, and talked to the press before heading to an event in Lancaster and a Steelers game.

Delaware County, Oct. 29
He was scheduled to participate in a roundtable discussion of seniors issues in Drexel Hill, Upper Darby Township, with Mike Huckabee and then have a rally in Allentown.

The post How often have Harris and Trump visited Philly and its suburbs this fall?  appeared first on Billy Penn at WHYY.