One Thing Is Clear: Democrats can win elections without appealing to Republicans.

[modrepub]

11. In PA

Preliminary votes indicate that in most of the rural Republican counties more people voted in 2020 than 2016. That happened even though most of these counties have declining populations so they had a higher voter participation rate than the large urban areas of Philadelphia or Pittsburgh. Like it or not, Trump connected with these people and motivated them to go out and vote in larger numbers than they did in 2016 even during a pandemic. This gave Republicans several state-wide offices this election cycle that they had been losing over the last decade (and bodes well for them to hold the Senate seat that is up for 2022 and pick up future state judge positions since PA elects those).

I worry that Democratic voter's enthusiasm will wane sooner than Republican voter enthusiasm in Pennsylvania. Even with a Democratic registration advantage, Pennsylvania can and does elect Republicans to state-wide offices and they control the Legislature (and have structural advantages to keep it). If the economy truly falters then Democratic voters in this state will stay home and Republicans are going to continue to hold power in Pennsylvania if not increase it.

Pennsylvania economic tax base, like much of this country, if powered by the suburban areas in SE PA (and to some extent Pittsburgh). I'd guess counties south and east of I-81/I-78 provide the bulk of the Comonwealth's tax revenue. This revenue is probably diverted to support the rest of the state since the tax base in the bulk of the rural areas is probably not enough to support its roads and public infrastructure. A classic example of this is how the state diverts tolls from the PA turnpike to other state road projects; the bulk of PA turnpike tolls probably come from the Philadelphia area. This funneling of tax revenue from Democratic leaning areas to Republican areas needs to be halted. I don't care if Republicans control the state as long as the tax revenues are kept more local. Don't complain about socialism if your area takes more than it contributes. Live by your principles and let others live by theirs.