Pennsylvania
Republican wunderkind who helped Trump win Pennsylvania sets sights on flipping another long-blue state
The Republican wunderkind credited with helping President-elect Trump claim pivotal Pennsylvania in his decisive Election Day win is now setting his sights on New Jersey.
Scott Presler, an indomitable voter-registration activist and founder of the Political Action Committee Early Vote Action, said the long-blue Garden State is ripe to turn red.
“New Jersey is trending to the right. There’s momentum,” Presler, 36, told The Post. “We have already rehired 23 staff. So whereas Republican parties in the past will pack up, go home, not renew contracts, Early Vote Action already right now, in December of 2024, has staff on the ground.”
Vice President Harris won New Jersey by only 6 points, compared to Biden’s 16-point victory in the state in 2020.
Trump’s performance was the best for a Republican in the state since George W. Bush’s re-election contest 20 years ago. Trump seized Gloucester County and Morris County — both of which he narrowly lost to Biden in 2020. Trump also won Passaic County, which Biden carried by more than 16 points in 2020 and Republicans haven’t won since 1992. Trump’s victories in Cumberland and Atlantic counties were the first for a GOP candidate since 1988.
Presler, who has more than 2 million followers on X, has already promised to bring a show of force to Edison, NJ next week after its city council banned American flags from their meetings.The ban was reversed earlier this week.
“We will have a presence at the December 11th meeting, peacefully with beautiful American flags, and we’re going to make sure that every single person that attends also registers to vote,” Presler said.
He said he will “thousands” of volunteers fanning the state in coming months.
“You’re going to see us at New Jersey truck stops. . . . You’re going to see us at gun shows and gun stores courting Second Amendment voters. You’re going to see us knocking on doors at fraternity houses and sorority houses. You’re going to see us going to American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars halls courting veteran votes. And you’re also going to see us at Wildwood Boardwalk,” he said.
Early Vote Action has more than $2.2 million in the bank and no debts, according to Federal Election Commission records. In August, they received a $1 million from Trump confidante and Department of Government Efficiency co-head Elon Musk.
“I would love for Elon Musk to continue to see the work that Early Vote Action has done,” Presler said. “We delivered the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, we delivered a Senate seat. We helped flip house seats from blue to red. And I would argue confidently and also very humbly that our work helped give President Trump the narrow majority in Congress.”
The first big GOP test in the Garden State will be the governor’s race next year.
In 2021, businessman Jack Ciattarelli came within four points of beating Democrat Phil Murphy. Ciattarelli, 62, is taking a second stab at Murphy and is considered the frontrunner to win the GOP primary in June.
“Our greatest challenge was the pandemic. It’s not easy to campaign when there’s a shelter in place order. We don’t have to contend with that this time around,” Ciattarelli told The Post.
“I really believe New Jersey has always been a purple state. It’s been tough on our Republican presidential nominees but Donald Trump changed that this past election day with his performance,” said Ciattarelli.
Presler is not officially backing Ciattarelli and said he will support whoever wins the GOP primary.
Ciattarelli is hopeful Presler’s lightening will strike twice.
“Scott’s going to be in an excellent position to take a great many voters and register them Republican,” Ciattarelli said.
A Pennsylvania court ruling is reshaping abortion access in the state, striking down a decades-old ban on using Medicaid to pay for abortions and declaring that the Pennsylvania Constitution guarantees a right to abortion.
The decision came Monday from the state’s Commonwealth Court. In a 4-3 vote, judges ruled in favor of abortion rights in Pennsylvania and invalidated the state’s restriction on Medicaid-funded abortions.
Local abortion-rights advocates praised the ruling as a major step toward protecting access for low-income residents. Adrienne Daily, co-founder of Johnstown for Choice, said, “Everybody should have the right to that. If you restrict the coverage, you’re obviously discriminating against those that have lower income.”
Opponents of abortion rights called the decision a dramatic expansion of the court’s power and warned it will force taxpayers to pay for procedures they oppose. Michael Geer, president of the Pennsylvania Family Institute, said, “Taxpayers now in Pennsylvania will have no choice under this court ruling to fund abortions. And there are many, many millions of Pennsylvanians who think abortion is wrong. It’s the taking of an innocent human life and to force taxpayers who conscientiously object to abortion to then fund it is just plain wrong.”
Abortion-rights advocates pushed back, arguing abortion access is healthcare and a personal decision. Daily said, “This is a family issue. This is a personal issue. This is a bodily autonomy issue.”
Pro-life leaders also warned the ruling could have broader implications for other abortion-related laws. Geer said, “It is sweeping and there’s no question it’s judicial overreach.” He added, “If this ruling stands, it will invite attacks on every remaining pro-life safeguard that has been put into law by lawmakers at the behest to the people of Pennsylvania over decades.”
The case could still be appealed to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. That decision lies with Republican Attorney General Dave Sunday. His office has not provided a response, but the Associated Press reported a spokesperson said the office is reviewing the decision and did not say whether it will appeal.
Johnstown, Pa. (WJAC) — The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame just released this year’s list of inductees, and a new clothing store just opened in the Johnstown Galleria.
What do these two things have in common?
If you grew up listening to 90’s hip-hop, then you’re probably familiar with the Wu-Tang Clan.
Wu-Tang Clan member opens clothing store in Pennsylvania (WJAC)
They said, “We’re in the building right now, we’re out in Johnstown making it happen, fashion and rapping, and Wu-Tang, you already know Wu-Tang is the witty, unpredictable talent and natural game. So, it’s all grassroots with us, man. We do everything from scratch.”
They’re being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this year, and Darryl Hill, aka Cappadonna, and manager Al “Heck” Felder are opening the Pillage, a clothing store in the Johnstown Galleria, selling apparel with a purpose.
Cappadonna said, “‘Cappadonna,’ that stands for ‘Consider All Poor People Acceptable, Don’t Oppress Nor Neglect Anyone,’ and we stand on that.”
They were introduced to mall owner Leo Karruli through Mustafa Curry, a childhood friend from New York, who owns a store on Main Street in Johnstown.
Heck said, “BK Styles, I’ve got to give a shout out to my boy, Mustafa. They’ve got some apparel down there, too. We’re all over. We’re spreading the word and we’re spreading the love.”
Wu-Tang Clan member opens clothing store in Pennsylvania (WJAC)
Their other clothing line, Angry Elephant, promotes being good stewards of the Earth, with a portion of the proceeds protecting the animals from poachers.
They said they believe in always putting God and family first.
Cappadonna said, “When you recognize the God in us, then you can see the God in you.”
They said they want kids to know that violence is not the answer, and it doesn’t cost anything to be kind.
Cappadonna said, “We just want to say that it’s nice to be important, but it’s even more important to be nice.”
A mother and her six children died when their Central Pennsylvania home exploded and caught on fire Sunday morning, state police said.
The explosion and fire happened at around 8:30 a.m. at a home on Long Run Road in Lamar Township, Clinton County, which is roughly 35 miles from State College. Crews arrived on the scene and found the home fully engulfed in flames, with the mother and her six children trapped.
State police identified the 34-year-old woman who died in the fire as Sarah B. Stolzfus. Her 11-year-old son, 10-year-old son, 8-year-old daughter, 6-year-old daughter, 5-year-old son and 3-year-old son also died in the blaze, according to state police.
A propane leak inside the house might’ve caused the explosion and fire, state police said. Propane tanks outside the home did not explode or contribute to the fire, according to state police.
The explosion and fire are under investigation by state police.
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