Donald Trump stepped into the Lehigh Valley on Tuesday to make the economic case for keeping Republicans in power come November, even though his name won't appear on the ballot. Speaking at a Mack Trucks facility in Macungie, Pennsylvania, the president hammered on falling oil prices and job creation as proof voters are better off than two years ago.
The backdrop mattered. Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley is a swing district critical to Republican control of Congress. Trump noted that crude closed at $73.21, a significant drop from where it stood before U.S. military action against Iran. "That oil is going to come charging down. And with oil comes everything else," he told the crowd, framing energy costs as the key to lowering prices across the board on groceries and household goods.
Trump claimed his administration had created 32,000 new jobs in Pennsylvania, with pharmaceutical and medical device companies opening manufacturing facilities in the region. He tied that growth to his tax cuts and drug pricing efforts, suggesting each achievement alone "should win us the midterms." The president also defended his tariff strategy, saying he'd slapped tariffs as high as 50 percent on copper, aluminum, and steel to block foreign competition and protect American workers.
The crowd came despite heavy rain, with supporters lining up for over half a mile. John McLaughlin, Trump's pollster, explained the draw: working and middle-class voters believe they've been exploited for decades and want to see economic growth return. But he flagged a central problem for Republicans. "The president's not on the ballot in November, and Republicans need to get behind his agenda," McLaughlin said. Without Trump's name on the ticket, turnout and motivation become harder to generate.
Trump also pressed the SAVE America Act, his sweeping voter ID bill that remains stalled in the Senate despite his repeated appeals. He specifically backed Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, the local congressman now in Democrats' crosshairs as one of four Pennsylvania Republicans they aim to unseat.
At ground level, voter concerns reflected nuance. Ben Coombs, a 30-year-old production team leader at Mack Trucks, said he wanted Trump to stop manufacturers from relocating to Mexico. He blamed rising diesel costs and sagging consumer confidence for dropping truck orders at his company. When asked about the Iran conflict now four months old, Coombs was blunt: "The war didn't have to happen."
Jason Banonis, an attorney in attendance, said he trusts the president on Iran and doesn't mind if another strike becomes necessary. But even he acknowledged a gap: while people feel better about the economy, he hoped Trump would spell out concrete steps to drive prices down further. "Trump is not on the ballot, that's a concern," Banonis added, repeating the refrain that looms over Republican midterm strategy.
Other attendees voiced complaints that stretched beyond economics. Jim Vinup wanted action on the SAVE Act. Rhonda Butz supported the Iran position, saying "they cannot have the bomb." But one voter, Coombs, mentioned disappointment over the Epstein files release, saying he wanted to see people held accountable. "The Epstein files crushed my hopes," he said.
Trump is scheduled to visit Capitol Hill on Wednesday to address Senate Republicans, where the SAVE Act and other legislative priorities will likely resurface. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Republicans have a list of accomplishments they want to tout before November to persuade voters to keep them in power. The challenge remains stark: how to energize a base around a midterm agenda when the leader voters mobilized behind won't be on the ticket.
Author Sarah Mitchell: "Trump's pitch was economically focused and data-driven, but the undercurrent of doubt among his own supporters about November turnout without him on the ballot is the real story here."
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