Credit: iStock / Sean Pavone

You can’t count out Philadelphia.

One of the largest and most diverse cities in a battleground state, even if you think they’re down—just as NBA star LeBron James was during the 76ers’ season opener against the Cleveland Cavaliers—the city and Pennsylvania could surprise you. 

On Thursday, James led the 76ers to a win after being booed and down by 24 points, and just as James found a way to deliver a victory to Philly, this solidly purple state could flip yet again after going for Donald Trump twice, in 2016 and 2024. 

But this time, the tides are rising for the Democrats.

Pennsylvania’s blue wave?

Early voting is already underway, and so far, 8 percent of Pennsylvania’s eligible voters have cast a ballot. More than 67% of mail-in and early votes are coming from registered Democrats, compared with 25% from registered Republicans.

Of the congressional races, three are leaning towards Democrats, while the fight between Democrat Bob Harvie and Republican Brian Fitzpatrick for Bucks County’s District 1 seat is considered a “toss-up” by NBC News. 

District 1 is majority-white, with more than 84% of its population identifying as such, and the fact that Fitzpatrick, the GOP incumbent, is fighting for his political life is very telling.

Two days ago, Fitzpatrick called for an investigation into trillionaire GOP donor Elon Musk over his actions with Starlink in Ukraine. 

As is the governor’s race, where there’s been more chatter about whether Democratic incumbent Josh Shapiro will run for president in 2028 than about whether he’ll win reelection.

A Quinnipiac University poll this month showed the governor ahead of his rival, Stacey Garrity, by 25 points—59% to 34% among likely voters.

The spirit of voter apathy

Still, some worry voter apathy could depress turnout.

Heather LaMarr, an associate Professor of Media and Communication at Temple University, wrote for The Conversation recently about the lack of enthusiasm some voters feel about this midterm election.

“Less than 30 days ahead of the 2026 midterms and almost nobody I talk to in Philadelphia is excited,” LaMarr wrote. “Not my neighbors. Not my students or colleagues at Temple University, where I research and teach political communication and public opinion. Not even my politically engaged friends.” 

“This mirrors the national mood in recent years,” she continued. “In a Pew Research Center survey, just 4% of Americans said they feel excited about politics; 65% said they feel exhausted.”

LaMarr blames misinformation and disinformation about the integrity of our elections for the enthusiasm gap, citing President Donald Trump’s insistence that the 2020 election was “stolen” from him, despite all evidence pointing to the contrary. 

A national problem

But this issue goes beyond Pennsylvania. It’s a national problem: Gallup found in July that 2 in every 3 Americans worry that government officials are interfering with our elections, or pressuring election officials to change vote outcomes. Pew has also found that fewer than 50 percent of Americans believe the midterm results will be fair or accurate. 

That’s a 10-point freefall in voter confidence since 2024.

But neither side can afford to let any voter sit this one out. Too much is at stake.

In Philadelphia, as well as much of Pennsylvania, the main concern is the economy, with some saying it’s the weakest since 2022. Even though turnout was low during the primaries, experts believe Philadelphia will show up and show out this November because of the affordability crisis.

“As a longtime Philadelphian who believes strongly in our democracy, I am staying hopeful,” LaMarr wrote.

MORE FROM URL MEDIA