JD Vance is hitting Pennsylvania hard with a message that seems to be striking a chord. On Thursday, at a campaign stop in Pittsburgh, Vance laid out why he believes the Keystone State is trending red, and it all boils down to Trump’s bold trade policy—particularly tariffs. According to Vance, it’s Trump’s tough stance on China and foreign labor that’s winning over voters in this crucial battleground state, and he’s warning Pennsylvanians not to fall for Kamala Harris’s promises to revive American manufacturing.
“Don’t trust Kamala Harris when she tells you she’s going to rebuild American manufacturing without forcing the Chinese to pay a tariff,” Vance told the crowd. His message was clear: America can’t bring back its manufacturing base unless it fights back against foreign nations, like China, that have been siphoning off American jobs for decades. Vance pointed to Trump’s tariff plan, which is designed to discourage imports made with cheap foreign labor, as the only realistic path to revitalizing American industry.
For Pennsylvanians, especially those who remember when the state was a manufacturing powerhouse, this message resonates. Pennsylvania has a proud history of steel production and craftsmanship, but, as Vance pointed out, the country has drifted away from self-reliance. Vance’s pitch is that a return to “Made in the USA” policies isn’t just patriotic—it’s the only way to truly rebuild the American middle class.
And this message seems to be gaining traction. Trump’s campaign is banking on states like Pennsylvania to deliver a victory, and Vance confidently predicted that Pennsylvania will make Donald Trump the next president. Citing the shift in early voting numbers and the redder hue the state has taken on in recent years, Vance said, “We are going to win this race so long as we work for it over the next 19 days.”
Vance’s speech wasn’t just about rallying the base—it was a direct shot at the Harris-Biden approach to manufacturing and trade. He argued that while Democrats talk about rebuilding industry, they aren’t serious unless they’re willing to stand up to China and impose tariffs on cheaply made imports. According to Vance, anything less is just empty rhetoric.
In a state where jobs and manufacturing have always been political bread and butter, Vance’s message may prove decisive. With Trump leading the charge on tariffs and American-made goods, it’s clear that the Pennsylvania electorate is paying attention.