Tom Eddy has a crucial message for Republicans on securing Pennsylvania for Donald Trump in November. The challenge? The candidate keeps undermining the plan.
For over a year, Eddy, the Republican chair in Erie County, has been advocating for mail-in voting in this pivotal swing state. Initially met with skepticism and mockery, particularly from Trump supporters who echoed the former president’s debunked claims about mail-in ballot fraud, Eddy persisted.
At 75, Eddy has dedicated himself daily to changing minds, driven by a singular goal: winning. He recalls the 2020 election, where mail-in votes heavily favored Joe Biden, significantly impacting Trump’s results.
In his office adorned with Trump memorabilia, Eddy, a retired high school teacher, often convinces skeptics to accept mail-in ballots by discussing how it mitigates risks such as illness, work delays, or emergencies on Election Day.
Trump has criticized mail-in ballots for his 2020 loss, and though he sometimes softens his stance, he frequently strays off message about their integrity.
With Kamala Harris now the Democratic nominee, recent polls show her leading Trump in Pennsylvania. Therefore, increasing early voting in places like Erie could be crucial for Trump’s victory.
In 2020, Biden’s significant mail-in ballot advantage in Erie — 32,929 to Trump’s 9,279 — offset Trump’s polling day lead, resulting in a narrow win for Biden. Eddy aims to prevent a repeat of this outcome.
Erie County has predicted presidential winners since 2008, reflecting the broader trend in Pennsylvania, a key battleground state. The county’s changing industrial landscape, with a shrinking population and economic shifts, has led to fluctuating voter preferences between parties.
While Biden’s presidency has generated discontent, Harris’s candidacy eliminates concerns about Biden’s age. Trump’s ongoing legal issues are a topic, but not the main focus.
The contrast between urban and rural voting in Erie is striking. Biden won every precinct in Erie City, while Trump dominated the rural areas. In Corry, a town that Trump won in 2020, local sentiments about government and voting integrity remain skeptical, echoing Trump’s claims.
Jim Wertz, the former Democratic chair who expanded mail-in voting in 2020, believes this strategy can be effective again. Eddy’s efforts to embrace mail-in voting signal a shift from past criticisms.
With 40% of Erie County voters registered as Republicans, 46% as Democrats, and 14% as independents, the latter could be decisive. Eddy remains optimistic, eagerly anticipating the arrival of 3,000 new mail-in ballot application forms.
Whether for Trump, Congress, or the Senate, to win in Pennsylvania, we need to get people to use this method of voting, Eddy emphasizes.