Northeast
Liberty bellwethers: Five Pennsylvania counties to watch on election night
Pennsylvania is once again likely the closest-watched state on election night, as the commonwealth’s 19 electoral votes are poised to swing the election one way or another.
Five counties — Bucks, Northampton, Erie, Centre and Luzerne — out of 67 are likely the ones that will tell the tale of whether former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris will win the 2024 presidential election.
BUCKS COUNTY – COUNTY SEAT: DOYLESTOWN
Bucks County made national headlines last week after the RNC and the Trump campaign took legal action against county officials after lines for “on-demand” voting were truncated prior to the stated closing time.
A judge ultimately allowed Bucks voters involved in the process until Friday to cast their early ballots. Bucks is also known as one major county where voters typically split their votes.
A Pennsylvania welcome sign greets drivers on US-222 entering Peach Bottom, Pa., from Maryland, 2022. (Charlie Creitz)
Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick and his late brother, Rep. Mike Fitzpatrick, both Republicans, enjoyed consistent-but-close wins in the county, while national and gubernatorial results are often a mixed bag. Brian was re-elected in 2020 just as Biden won the county.
The county also flipped to a GOP voter registration advantage this cycle, with the Philadelphia Inquirer reporting the Republicans enjoy just under a 1,000-registrant majority.
While Trump lost all of Philadelphia’s once-Republican collar counties — Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Bucks — in 2016, only the latter appears in play this cycle.
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY – COUNTY SEAT: EASTON
Bordering Bucks, Lehigh and Northampton counties geopolitically unite to form the key, postindustrial Lehigh Valley region. The congressional seat currently held by Rep. Susan Wild, a Democrat, is always a tight contest.
While Lehigh typically remains in Democrat hands due to Pennsylvania’s third-largest city — Allentown — as its anchor, neighboring Northampton County surprised everyone when Trump took it in 2016.
CRISSCROSSING PA TO REGISTER VOTERS, SCOTT PRESLER SEEKS TO FLIP KEY COUNTIES RED
The Moravian Star shines on South Mountain above the Ofc. Philip J. Fahy Memorial Bridge in Bethlehem, Pa. (Charles Creitz)
Northampton’s Republican Party leader, Andrew Azan III, said in a recent interview he is very optimistic again this year, and said there was recently a “waitlist” for Trump yard signs.
ERIE COUNTY – COUNTY SEAT: ERIE
Far to the west, Erie sticks up into the great lakes like a thumb, and its electorate could put their collective thumb on the scale for either candidate.
Erie GOP chair Tom Eddy recently said that Erie is “unique… in the fact it’s able to pick the winners.” Trump won Erie County and the election in 2016, and Biden won in 2020.
Eddy called the county “Little Pennsylvania” — as it has a bit of every piece of the state within its bounds: an urban area, agricultural lands and industry.
LUZERNE COUNTY – COUNTY SEAT: WILKES-BARRE
Meanwhile, in Luzerne County, anchored by Wilkes-Barre and Hazleton, Republicans recently shocked observers in September by becoming a majority there.
The union-heavy county neighboring Biden’s Lackawanna went for Trump in 2016 and 2020 despite its then-Democratic bent.
“We’d all like to thank the Democrats and the Democratic platform because they’re the ones that really inspired people to leave the party and become Republicans,” Luzerne County GOP 119th District Chairman T.J. Fitzgerald said.
Early Vote Action leader Scott Presler, who has crisscrossed Pennsylvania to register Republican voters, previously said it was a major feat ahead of an expectedly close election.
PENNSYLVANIA LEADERS TALK ‘EXCITING’ GROUND GAME ON BOTH SIDES, AS GOP SEEKS TO UNDO DEM GAINS
A Harris-Walz supporter arrives in Wilkes-Barre in a campaign-logo-emblazoned police-style vehicle. (Charlie Creitz)
When Fox News Digital covered a weekend of Presler’s work in red counties like Lancaster and Dauphin, he also identified Bucks, Luzerne and Centre as those most ripe for Republicans’ picking.
CENTRE COUNTY – COUNTY SEAT: BELLEFONTE
Centre County is the rare blue dot in the middle of northwestern Pennsylvania’s forested expanse. Much of the county reflects the Republicanism of neighboring Clinton, Huntingdon and Blair — but the presence of Penn State University in State College skews it Democratic.
Of the approximately 110,000 voters there, 41.2% are Democrats and 40.3% are Republicans. Prior to the Nittany Lions’ blowout of Kent State in September, however, Presler and volunteers registered tailgaters to vote and encountered students who were fervently pro-Trump.
State Sen. Cris Dush, a Republican who represents Centre and six other neighboring counties, said the prospect of flipping the blue enclave is “actually getting very exciting.”
Dush said one of them — rural Clinton County — was solidly Democratic until the Trump era and recently went “over 3-1 Republican.”
PSU (Gregory Fisher via Getty Images)
Centre may have a shot at the red column this year in part because Gen Z is suddenly battling a rough economy for young hires.
While Pennsylvania industry faces hurdles in regulation and more, Dush commented, the most regrettable outsourcing has been among those young voters.
“The fact that they’re putting such restrictions on the development of businesses in the northern tier and western Pennsylvania: There’s not a state in the United States that doesn’t have a Steelers bar in it, and that’s because working-class kids have become our best export. I want them back,” he said.
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new video loaded: The Democracy of The Dive Bar
By Anna Kodé, Gabriel Blanco, Haimy Assefa and Laura Salaberry
June 19, 2026
Boston is allowing outdoor drinking in two neighborhoods this summer while the city welcomes a wave of international visitors during the World Cup, Mayor Michelle Wu announced.
The social districts opened Friday and will run through July 31.
Boston public drinking zones
Patrons will be allowed to consume alcoholic beverages outdoors within designated areas at Union and Marshall streets in Downtown Boston’s Block Historic District, as well as on Temple Place in Downtown Crossing.
According to the city, the initiative along with the decision to extend last call until 3 a.m. for the World Cup “is creating vibrancy for patrons and expanding opportunities for Boston businesses during one of the region’s busiest summers in recent years.”
“As Boston welcomes people from around the world to gather and enjoy our city this summer, these new social districts will create even more opportunities to build community and have fun responsibly,” Wu said in a statement. “These districts help us open our streets in a safe environment for residents and visitors to enjoy themselves, ‘sip and stroll,’ and make lasting memories in our beautiful city.”
Last week, Gov. Maura Healey signed a new law that allowed for cities and towns to create designated areas for public drinking.
How drinking zones work
In order to participate, businesses within the designated zones must file a one-day amendment application with the Boston Licensing Board that states they wish to be included in the districts.
Businesses cannot sell alcohol for public consumption until they receive approval from the Licensing Board.
Hours for the Union-Marshall Street Social District will be 9 a.m. to midnight Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday. The Temple Place Social District will be open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.
Drinks sold for public consumption will be in clear plastic containers with a sticker or other label that shows where they were sold. Businesses cannot sell more than one 16-ounce alcoholic beverage for public consumption per customer in a single transaction.
Outside alcohol cannot be brought into businesses.
“We are grateful for this opportunity to activate our downtown, support businesses, and create a welcoming, relaxed atmosphere in two of Boston’s entertainment districts,” Corean Reynolds, director of nightlife economy, said in a statement. “Both residents and tourists can benefit from these Social Districts. After the summer, we look forward to continuing our work creating a nightlife infrastructure that works for everyone.”
The decision to trade catcher Joey Bart to the Braves gives the Pirates a solution to a problem that soon needed to be made.
Bart had been on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Indianapolis, working his way back from a left foot infection that kept him out of action for over a month.
With Bart nearing a return, the Pirates were going to have to figure out what to do at catcher with Henry Davis and Endy Rodríguez splitting time behind the plate in his absence.
Given how Rodríguez has been swinging the bat since he was recalled from Indianapolis to replace Bart on the active roster, there was no way the Pirates could’ve sent him down. In 23 games, the 26-year-old has a .267/.413/.467 batting line with three doubles, three home runs, eight RBI, two steals and a robust 19.7% walk rate.
Davis, meanwhile, has struggled to an anemic .138/.242/.285 batting line with four doubles, five home runs and 17 RBI in 47 games. While he hasn’t offered much with the bat, he’s been responsible for two defensive runs saved and leads MLB with a 55% caught stealing rate.
Now that Bart has been traded, Rodríguez and Davis will remain the catching tandem at the big-league level with Rafael Flores Jr. as the top backup option with Indianapolis. Flores is considered Pittsburgh’s eighth-best prospect on MLB Pipeline.
For the first time in the big leagues, Rodríguez is realizing the potential that once made him one of the top 100 prospects in baseball. Because of that, he should get the majority of the playing time with Davis continuing to catch Paul Skenes’ starts and filling in when needed.
As for the return, the Pirates known what to expect from Hunter Stratton, who spent nine seasons in the organization and made 47 appearances with the team from 2023-25.
The bullpen has been an obvious weak spot for the team this season, and while it was somewhat surprising to see the Pirates assign Stratton to Indianapolis, he improves the pitching depth and will almost surely be called upon at some point this year.
In 60 career big-league appearances between the Pirates and Braves, Stratton is 3-2 with a 3.75 ERA and two saves. The right-hander spent most of the 2026 season with Triple-A Gwinnett and went 2-4 with a 4.38 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 24.2 innings across 21 appearances.
One more important note about the trade is that the Pirates saved some money in the deal, which could be used later in additional trades to add to an already record-setting payroll. Stratton is a pre-arbitration player, while Bart is making $2.53 million this season.
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