Biden’s hometown reflects on his legacy and looks ahead to the 2024 election

WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - In the battleground Pennsylvania, some residents of President Joe Biden’s hometown, Scranton are both reflecting back on his legacy and looking ahead to the election in November.

“I had so much respect for him that he still goes out and campaigns for her and the party and everything,” said resident John Mulgrew. “And right to the end, he’s, you know, he’s still being a good president."

University of Scranton political science professor Gretchen J. Van Dyke, Ph.D. said she believes many people in the city were a little concerned at first when “Scranton Joe” left the 2024 presidential race in July, but they ultimately respected the president’s decision to step down from it.

“Were people concerned here? Yes,” Van Dyke said. “And yet they welcomed... they were proud of his decision making.”

Some people in the downtown area on Monday said they were a bit shocked when he stepped down.

“I was a little surprised that he left,” resident Chrissy Harrity said. “But then you hear all these other stories. I think he was just ready to go.”

Others like Mulgrew were not happy with how Biden’s presidential campaign ended though.

“I didn’t like the way that whole thing was done, him getting out the election," he said. “I think he [would] say for the sake of the party, that I got out because I could see I wasn’t going to win. But I think he was forced out."

President Biden has long embraced Scranton, where he spent the spent first ten years of his life before moving to Delaware. He frequently invokes the city in speeches and goes back to visit.

Similarly, the city embraced Biden, with multiple roads now named after him.

“I think everybody has a slight friendship with President Biden just because being a childhood, his home in Scranton, Pennsylvania, you always have that connection here,” said Brian Machowski.

How the president’s hometown will vote on Election Day is a little more murky though. Scranton is in Lackawanna County, a historically Democratic stronghold, which Biden won in 2020. But since then, Republicans have made inroads in the area.

“It’s really hard to predict," Van Dyke said. “I think it’s all going to depend on turnout. And I think, you know, both campaigns have established offices right here in the downtown. So it’s all going to be about turnout.”

Pennsylvania is considered one of the most crucial swing states. Whoever wins the state - and its 19 electoral college votes - has a considerably higher chance of winning the election.

Mulgrew, who supported Biden in 2020, said he already voted early for former President Donald Trump this year.

“I’m voting for Trump because of immigration," Mulgrew said. “I think that’s the number one problem in the country right now.”

Others believe the choice in the 2024 election is straight forward for those who were Biden supporters.

“I think if anything, the people who are going to vote for President Biden are now going to vote for Vice President Harris,” said Machowski.

Machowski said he is supporting Harris this year, despite being a registered Republican and knows of other people like him.

“If I could tell you 20 people that I know who are registered Republicans are now voting for Democrats? I’m telling you the truth," he said.

“The race is so close, it’s unbelievable," Mulgrew said. “It’s so, so, so, so, so close. But we’ll see election night, right?”

Copyright 2024 Gray DC. All rights reserved.