Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz spoke at a rally in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, last weekend, drawing a crowd of over 1,000 energetic spectators. He visited the area to appeal to Latino voters, according to a press release. He also underscored the importance of Pennsylvania and Northampton County as critical battlegrounds in the upcoming presidential election.

Multiple chants of “not going back” and “freedom” echoed through the gymnasium of Freedom High School — a school turned into a political stage. Walz spoke for nearly 45 minutes, highlighting starting unions, tax credits for the middle class, pro-abortion rights and “improving people’s lives.”

“Forty-five days to bring joy back to our politics,” Walz told the crowd at the end of his speech, referring to the countdown to Nov. 5.

William Reynolds, the mayor of Bethlehem, spoke first at the rally and touched on the significance of voter turnout in the state and county. He predicted Pennsylvania would play a “pivotal role” in electing Kamala Harris and Walz.

In addition to highlighting the county’s importance, the rally recognized Latino voters in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, reflecting the Harris campaign’s broader efforts to engage the Latino community. Before Walz took the stage, special guests Liza Colón-Zayas of “The Bear” and Anthony Ramos of “Hamilton” also addressed the crowd.

“You matter,” Ramos said to the audience, calling for Lehigh Valley residents to vote.

Walz also spent much of the speech attacking the campaign of Donald Trump, the Republican nominee and former president.

“Donald Trump wants to talk about some mythical time when he was in office,” Walz said. “For God’s sake, you felt it here. He lost 275,000 jobs in Pennsylvania. Under Vice President Harris, 560,000 jobs have come back.”

Not all of Walz’s speech went to plan. Five protestors, most of whom were protesting the United States’ investment in Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Palestine, disrupted the rally and were escorted out by police.

Pennsylvania District Seven Congresswoman Susan Wild also spoke at the rally.

“If you don’t win our district, you don’t win Pennsylvania, and it comes down to that — it’s that simple, everybody,” Wild said. “That can sound kind of like fluffery or like a hyperbole, but it’s not. Northampton County is a bellwether county.”

A bellwether county is defined by its tendency to be won by the presidential candidate who becomes the winner of the overall election, acting as an indicator for the nation as a whole.

Wild called for voters to support her in a close race against Ryan Mackenzie while highlighting her support of public schools, capping drug prices and advocating for better mental health care.

Spectators interviewed by The Lafayette after the rally spoke highly of Walz, expressing their excitement for the Harris campaign.

“He is an excellent down-to-earth person,” Lisa DiTalia, an attendee of the rally, said of Walz. “He’s a perfect running mate for Kamala, I think.”

“Lehigh Valley is the biggest purple area in Pennsylvania,” said Shawna Knipper, a Bethlehem resident who also attended the rally. “If you win the Lehigh Valley, you can win the whole state.”

“For them to give the attention here is very important,” Knipper said of Walz and the Harris campaign.

At Lafayette College, government and law professors have long recognized the importance of Northampton County in presidential elections.

“Northampton County is interesting because, since 1912, Northampton County has voted for the winner in every presidential election, except three,” said John Kincaid, a government and law professor.

The three exceptions: in the 1968 presidential election, the county voted for the Democratic nominee, but Republican nominee Richard Nixon won, and in 2000 and 2004, the county again voted Democratic, but Republican George W. Bush won.

“Since 1912, 66.7% of the county’s voting in elections has been democratic in presidential elections,” Kincaid said.

Despite the greater frequency of voting for Democrats, Kincaid did not predict which candidate he believed would win the county in 2024. He did, however, suggest how college campuses across the Lehigh Valley may impact election results.

“Having students particularly voting in Pennsylvania for the presidential candidates could carry the day for Kamala Harris,” Kincaid said. “Most faculty, and probably the majority of students, particularly at a place like Lafayette, would vote for Kamala Harris.”

For college students specifically, choosing to vote in a swing state like Pennsylvania over their home state can be a difficult decision, according to government and law Professor Stephanie Chan.

“Out-of-state students may feel like their vote matters more in PA than in a ‘safe’ state where it is already pretty clear that the Democrats or the Republicans will win the state’s electoral votes,” Chan wrote in an email. “However, out-of-state students should also consider whether they feel more concerned about politics in their home state and whether they care about any of the ballot initiatives in their home state.”

Regardless of personal choice, the influence of voting in a swing state like Pennsylvania remains clear.

“Voting really is foundational to our system of government and voting in a swing state is maximizing that power,” said Dimitri Chernozhukov ‘25, a student director of Lafayette Votes and president of College Republicans.

Just before Walz’s remarks, Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure ended his speech directly appealing to the audience.

“They know that Northampton County is a bellwether for how the rest of the Commonwealth might vote,” McClure said of the Harris-Walz campaign. “That’s why Governor Walz is here to look you in the eye and ask Northampton County for its vote.”

Andreas Pelekis ’26 contributed reporting.

This story was originally published on The Lafayette on September 27, 2024.