How to Help Democrats Win in Pennsylvania: Donor Recommendations
Pennsylvania will be one of the most closely contested states in the 2024 election, and the outcomes here could decide who controls both the White House and the U.S. Senate. In addition, Democrats must defend two U.S. House seats in swing districts and protect a narrow majority in the state General Assembly while trying to win three seats in the state Senate to take control of that chamber.
While Kamala Harris could win the election without Pennsylvania’s 19 electoral points, it wouldn’t be easy, and her strategy for victory rests heavily on carrying the state, along with Michigan and Wisconsin. To win Pennsylvania, Harris needs to replicate Biden’s gains with college-educated suburban voters, which helped him to win there in 2020, while also catalyzing strong Black turnout and matching or improving on Biden’s margins among non-college white voters.
Both persuasion and mobilization are essential to help Kamala Harris and Senator Bob Casey win in Pennsylvania this year. Undecided voters need to hear a compelling narrative about why they should support incumbent Democrats, even as polling shows dissatisfaction with the economy, immigration, and other issues. Low-propensity Democratic voters need strong encouragement and repeated contacts to cast ballots. Governor Josh Stein’s 15-point victory in 2022 shows that Democrats can compete successfully in Pennsylvania. Of course, though, he was not running against Trump — who is widely popular in the state, especially among non-college whites who make up nearly half of the electorate and voted for Trump by a 25-point margin in 2020.
Donors can have the most impact in this crucial state by supporting groups with a strong record of effective voter engagement and GOTV work in Pennsylvania. Below, we explain what’s at stake in the state this year and where to give to help Democrats win.
Democratic 2024 Election Goals in Pennsylvania
Win Pennsylvania 19 electoral votes. No battleground state has more electoral votes than Pennsylvania, which has been closely contested in the past two presidential elections. Trump won the state by less than 1 point in 2016, while Biden won by 1.2 points in 2020. The election is likely to be equally close this year.
Hold a U.S. Senate seat. For Democrats to have any chance of holding the U.S. Senate this year, Bob Casey must win reelection against Republican Senate candidate Dave McCormick.
Build strength in the state legislature. Democrats hope to increase their razor-thin majority in the General Assembly and win three Senate seats to flip that chamber.
How Donors Can Help Democrats Win in Pennsylvania in 2024
Democratic success in Pennsylvania’s election contests will require strong mobilization of key Democratic constituencies and effective persuasion work. Donors should consider supporting the following group:
Pennsylvania United PAC. A big reason that Trump won Pennsylvania in 2016 is that he ran up huge margins in the state’s rural areas and economically depressed cities. Biden squeaked to victory four years later by chipping away at Trump’s advantage in these areas, including in Western Pennsylvania, the part of the state most hard hit over recent decades by globalization and automatization. Harris must replicate Biden’s success with these voters to win Pennsylvania. Given this urgent imperative, Blue Tent recommends that donors support PA United PAC, which organizes working-class communities of all races in Western PA. With member-led chapters in cities and towns across the region, PA United has a strong track record of engaging and turning out voters. It has worked over many years to build trust and deep bonds with voters. This election cycle, it is working to register 6,000 to 12,000 voters and knock on 432,000 to 706,000 doors.
National Groups Working in Pennsylvania. A number of leading national voter groups that Blue Tent highly recommends are working in Pennsylvania. These include (with donation links):
Working America engages in year-round grassroots organizing to engage working-class voters in Pennsylvania and other battleground states. It is widely respected for its evidence-based voter mobilization work.
Galvanize Action is laser-focused on winning the votes of white women in its four target states, which include Pennsylvania where these voters made up 43% of the electorate in 2020.
Rural Democracy Initiative supports organizing groups in rural areas of Pennsylvania and other battleground states. Democrats must connect effectively in 2024 with Pennsylvania’s rural voters, who make up nearly a quarter of the state’s electorate.