This is a bit concerning but gives good detail in the writer's logic.

Tied for Obama's fourth closest win in 2012? Sure but a) he won by over 5 points b) he didn't win all swing states so it is pretty far down the lost of swingers he did win c) Job numbers, including in PA, have improved greatly since then benefitting Dems, d) PA hasn't actually swung in a generation, going D six consecutive times e) The black and Latino ratios of the population have both increased by 10-20% (of the original ratio, not by 10-20 pts). Both are reliably blue and even more so likely with Trump. I'm pretty sure serious internal polling goes into all close states and showed the campaign staff (the folks Trump either doesn't have or doesn't listen to, remember) that money is better spent elsewhere.

I've never lived in PA but I was close to the border of it for a few years and traveled extensively in the state. The vast swathes of it that are redder than Dixie in the North and West can give visitors a depressing view of the state until you realize just how much more densely populated, and how blue, the two big cities are.

have the Repubs done to earn that in PA? It just doesn't make sense.

Options include that they had, for non policy-wonks, a far more interesting primary race than ours; that people are inherently interested in and drawn to participation in reality show celebrity doings; that intentional ratfucking was a great temptation given Trump's lack of appeal as a GE candidate; that it's the movement of "generational" Kim Davis-type nominal Democrats, common throughout Appalachia, who would never vote for a Dem candidate for president, to their natural and long term party, or perhaps that it's a small but significant exodus of low-info parochial Reagan (Trump?) Democrats responding to the call of the white male authoritarian. Wouldn't have thought we had many of those left after 7 yrs of Obama but the people who cannot stomach a black President and can't stomach a female one are only similar in character, not identical.

shorting other regions and there'd be that to worry about. I'm going to be chewing my lip enough over the coming months without having responsibility for these decisions. These people are definitely tougher than I am.

and she can send surrogates to the state to whip up support. Many Pennsylvanians refused to vote for Obama in either election because they are slightly racist. They will be more likely to go for Hillary. Many of them are not unhinged radical racists who would vote for Trump.

She will put money in new battlegrounds like North Carolina, Virginia, Colorado, Arizona and some key attempts to hit even redder states like Arkansas and Utah.

It will force the GOP to pump a lot of money in states they never though 12 years ago they'd be spending.

I think their governor is a republican, if I recall. That says a lot too.

They have been flawless so far and they have the brains behind four successful democratic campaigns for POTUS.