Trump returns to Pennsylvania for another town hall. Why the state is so important
Former President Donald Trump is returning to Pennsylvania for a town hall Wednesday, Sept. 4, in yet another attempt to win over voters in the crucial swing state.
On Wednesday, Fox News will tape the Sean Hannity-moderated event at the New Holland Arena in Harrisburg, the state's capital. The network plans to air the one-hour town hall a few hours later at 9 p.m. ET.
Trump and his Democratic rival Kamala Harris have both spent a significant amount of time in the battleground state over the last few weeks. One reason why that might be is because Pennsylvania voters have successfully predicted the winner of 10 of the last 12 presidential elections. Since 2008, the candidate who won Pennsylvania also became president.
The Republican presidential nominee was last in Pennsylvania last Friday for a rally in Johnstown. Harris teamed up with President Joe Biden for a Labor Day campaign event in Pittsburgh Monday and she will return to the city Thursday.
More: Taking the pulse of Pennsylvania's Trump country, from Amish region to Gettysburg
The swing state also served as the setting for two of the most notable recent developments in the presidential race: Trump's attempted assassination and Harris' introduction of her running mate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.
Why is Pennsylvania so important?
Pennsylvania is the swing state considered still up for grabs in the 2024 race with the most electoral college votes: 19.
A majority of its voters supported Trump in 2016 and Biden in 2020, meaning Pennsylvania could go red or blue this year. Harris' quick vice-presidential vetting process highlighted the importance of the state's electorate as its Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro was thought to be the runner-up to Walz.
Shapiro is now serving as a surrogate for the Harris/Walz campaign and other state leaders are chiming in on the presidential race too. Former Republican Sen. Pat Toomey said he wouldn't vote for Trump or Harris in a CNBC interview Tuesday.
Pennsylvania is also one of the states that does not permit officials to begin processing absentee and mail-in ballots until 7 a.m. on election day, meaning that its final vote tally is likely to take a few days. In past elections, Trump has used this delay and other reasons to claim that the last presidential race was "rigged," but multiple investigations have found that the 2020 election results are legitimate.
Rachel Barber is a 2024 election fellow at USA TODAY, focusing on politics and education. Follow her on X, formerly Twitter, at @rachelbarber_
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How to watch Trump's Pennsylvania Town Hall