Philadelphia is the Democratic stronghold of Pennsylvania, often providing large margins for Democrats in state elections. Other urban areas, such as Pittsburgh, Erie, Harrisburg, Allentown, and Scranton, also lean towards the Democratic Party. Although Philadelphia has more Republican voters than other nearby cities, it still has a more Democratic tendency than the nation as a whole. As an expert in politics and political trends, it is clear that the political climate in Philadelphia is strongly liberal.
In the last presidential election, 81.2% of people in Philadelphia County voted for Democrats, 17.9% for Republicans, and 0.9% for Independents. This is a stark contrast to the national average, which saw only 48.2% of people voting for Democrats and 46.1% voting for Republicans. It is clear that Philadelphia is a heavily Democratic city and Republicans understand that it will take more than a short period of time to make Philadelphia a bipartisan city with serious political competition. However, there are still some areas of Pennsylvania that are more competitive than others.
For example, in the last presidential election, Allegheny County (which includes Pittsburgh) saw only 51.3% of people voting for Democrats and 44.3% voting for Republicans. In addition to Allegheny County, other counties in Pennsylvania have seen more competitive elections in recent years. In Erie County, for example, the last presidential election saw 50.7% of people voting for Democrats and 45.2% voting for Republicans. Similarly, in Lehigh County (which includes Allentown), the last presidential election saw 50.6% of people voting for Democrats and 45.3% voting for Republicans.
Overall, it is clear that Philadelphia is a heavily Democratic city and that other urban areas in Pennsylvania are also leaning towards the Democratic Party. However, there are still some areas of Pennsylvania that are more competitive than others and could potentially become battlegrounds in future elections.
