Pennsylvania is always a headache for pollsters. Honestly, 2024 was no different, though the outcome felt like a massive thud for one side and a total comeback for the other. By the time the dust settled and the 2024 us election results pennsylvania were certified, Donald Trump didn't just win; he flipped the state back into the red column with a margin that caught a lot of "experts" off guard.
It wasn't a landslide. Not even close. But in a state where elections are usually decided by the width of a hair, Trump's 1.7% victory felt like a statement. He pulled in 3,543,308 votes (50.4%) compared to Kamala Harris's 3,423,042 (48.7%).
The 19 electoral votes were the big prize. Everyone knew whoever took the Keystone State was basically moving into the White House.
The Red Wall and the Philly Fade
Most people focus on the big cities, but the real story of the 2024 us election results pennsylvania lies in the places where the "blue wall" just... crumbled. Take a look at the "boomerang" counties. These are the places that went for Obama, then Trump, then Biden. In 2024, they swung back to Trump with a vengeance.
Erie and Northampton are the classic examples.
In Erie, Trump managed to snag 50.0% of the vote. It's a tiny margin, but in a place that Biden won by about 1 point in 2020, that flip is everything. Northampton was even more telling. Trump won there by about 2 points. When you lose the bellwethers, you lose the state. That's just Pennsylvania math.
Then there’s Philadelphia.
Democrats always count on Philly to be this massive fortress of votes that can drown out the rest of the state. It didn't happen this time. Turnout in the city actually dropped. We’re talking about a dip from around 750,000 votes in 2020 to roughly 710,000 in 2024. You can’t win PA if your biggest engine is losing steam.
Trump actually improved his numbers in Philly, too. He grabbed about 20% of the city's vote. That might sound small, but for a Republican in Philadelphia, that’s huge. It represents a shift among Black and Latino men that the Harris campaign clearly didn't see coming—or at least didn't know how to stop.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Suburbs
The media loves to talk about the "suburban revolt" against Trump. And yeah, Harris did well in places like Montgomery, Chester, and Delaware counties. She won them handily. But the "red shift" happened even there.
In Bucks County—the one truly "purple" suburban area outside Philly—Trump actually won. It was razor-thin, like a 500-vote difference, but it was a flip. In 2020, Biden won Bucks. In 2024, it went red.
Why?
Basically, it comes down to the grocery store. I talked to people in Bucks who said they didn't necessarily love Trump's personality, but they were tired of paying $7 for a dozen eggs. The economy was the "quiet" factor that overshadowed everything else. While the Harris campaign was talking about democracy and abortion rights, a lot of Pennsylvanians were looking at their bank accounts and feeling stuck.
The Down-Ballot Shakeup
It wasn't just the Presidency. The 2024 us election results pennsylvania shook up the Senate too.
Dave McCormick pulled off what many thought was impossible: unseating Bob Casey Jr. This was a shocker. Casey had been in the Senate since 2006 and was seen as a Pennsylvania institution. But McCormick ran a disciplined campaign and benefitted from the Trump surge.
The margin was so close—only 0.22%—that it triggered an automatic recount. Casey didn't concede until November 21, once it was clear the numbers weren't going to shift.
- McCormick (R): 3,399,295 votes
- Casey (D): 3,384,180 votes
Losing Casey was a massive blow for PA Democrats. It signaled that the "moderate, pro-labor" brand that the Caseys had built for decades might not be enough anymore in a polarized environment.
The Latino Shift in Berks and Lehigh
If you want to see where the Democratic party really lost its grip, look at Berks County. Specifically Reading.
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Reading has a huge Puerto Rican population. For years, it was a Democratic stronghold. But in 2024, Trump boosted his numbers there by about 3 percentage points. There was this narrative that certain comments made at Trump rallies would alienate Latino voters, but the results showed the opposite.
Voters like Misael Nieves told reporters they were worried about the national debt and the future for their kids. They saw Trump as a "strongman" who could fix the economy. It’s a shift that’s going to haunt Democrats for a long time if they don’t figure out how to speak to these communities better.
Why Turnout Was a Double-Edged Sword
Secretary of the Commonwealth Al Schmidt reported that turnout was actually historic. About 77% of registered voters showed up. That’s incredible. It shows that people really felt the stakes were high.
But high turnout doesn't always help Democrats. In the rural "T" of Pennsylvania—those deep red counties in the middle of the state—turnout was through the roof.
- Juniata County: Nearly 85% turnout.
- Bedford County: 83.6% turnout (where Trump got 84% of the vote).
- Westmoreland County: 83.1% turnout.
When you have that many people in rural areas showing up to vote 80/20 for one candidate, the cities have to be nearly perfect to compensate. Philly and Pittsburgh weren't perfect. They were "okay," and "okay" gets you a loss in Pennsylvania.
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Actionable Insights for the Future
The 2024 us election results pennsylvania teach us a few things that aren't going away. If you're looking at the next cycle, keep these in mind:
- Registration Matters: Republicans narrowed the registration gap significantly in 2024. They went from being down 700,000 voters in 2020 to only being down about 280,000. That’s a massive organizational win.
- The "Economy First" Rule: You can't run on social issues alone if people feel they are becoming poorer. The exit polls were clear: the cost of living was the #1 issue.
- Suburban Decay: Democrats can't take the "collar counties" for granted. Bucks flipping is a warning shot.
- Coalitions are Shifting: The old idea of the "Democratic base" is changing. Latino and Black men are becoming more of a swing demographic than anyone expected.
If you want to understand the state of American politics, just spend a week in Scranton or Lancaster. It's all there. The 2024 us election results pennsylvania weren't a fluke; they were the result of a massive shift in how working-class people see both parties.
For the most accurate raw data, you should always check the official Pennsylvania Department of State website. They have the final, certified numbers for every single precinct. It’s a goldmine if you’re a data nerd.
To get a clearer picture of your local area, you can look up your specific county's board of elections website. They often have "heat maps" that show exactly which neighborhoods swung red or blue compared to four years ago. This helps you see beyond the broad "red vs. blue" state map and understand the street-level shifts.