Pennsylvania
5 Key takeaways from JD Vance’s Pennsylvania rally—Jan. 6, China War, more
Manufacturing, immigration, crime, the economy, and alleged election fraud in 2020 dominated JD Vance’s Saturday two speeches in Pennsylvania, just weeks out from the election.
Speaking at a Saturday afternoon rally in Johnstown, the Ohio Senator and Republican vice-presidential candidate spoke for 40 minutes, in what has become a routine stop on the campaign trail. The Keystone State is a vital part of both candidates’ strategy to win the White House.
Johnstown is a small city of less than 20,000 inhabitants which has suffered decades of industrial decline following the closure of its steel mills and coal mines.
It has featured on the campaign trails of both presidential candidates as well as Vance. Vice President Kamala Harris visited some local businesses there in September, and Donald Trump held a rally in the city in August.
Laurence Kesterson/ASSOCIATED PRESS
The repeated visits are emblematic to of the critical role Rust Belt cities, which lost most of their manufacturing economies decades ago, played in electing Trump in 2016, on his America-first manufacturing platform.
They were then crucial in electing President Joe Biden, who in 2020 campaigned as a pro-union, pro-manufacturing candidate who came from coal-mining Scranton, Pennsylvania.
In his 40-minute speech, Vance addressed Johnstown’s industrial heritage, casting himself and Trump as the candidates who would deport millions of “illegal aliens” to secure its economic future, and casting Harris as a candidate who would do nothing to prevent its decline.
He also continued to suggest that the 2020 election was unfair, following on from his Friday New York Times interview, in which he declined five times to acknowledge that Trump lost the election to Biden.
Later in the afternoon, he held a town-hall style rally in Reading, in eastern Pennsylvania, where he took questions from the audience and addressed the importance of voter turnout, home ownership, energy costs, and the need to “drain the swamp” of allegedly corrupt officials in the FBI and Justice Department.
Here five key takeaways from the events.
Capitol Rioters Were “Knuckleheads” and Trump Is Not To Blame
A reporter asked Vance whether he condemned the riot at on January 6, 2021, where Trump’s supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in order to disrupt the certification of Biden’s victory.
In response, Vance said he did condemn the riot, but he denied that Trump was responsible for the actions of the rioters and insisted that there was a “peaceful transfer of power” in 2020.
“Donald Trump asked people to protest peacefully,” Vance said. “He had every right to encourage people to protest peacefully, and the fact that a few knuckleheads went off and did something they shouldn’t do, that’s not on him; that’s on them, that’s on them.”
This answer diverges slightly from Trump’s own view, which has repeatedly been the rioters, over 1,200 of whom have been criminally charged, were not “knuckleheads,” but rather were “patriots.”
He has insisted he would pardon them if elected to a second term. However, like Vance, Trump denied any involvement in the riot, stating during his September debate with Harris, “That had nothing to do with me.”
Trump’s alleged involvement in the lead-up to the riot is subject to an ongoing federal criminal case in Washington D.C., which is currently going through pretrial motions.
Trump and Vance Would Clean House at the FBI and the DOJ
Vance told a story about an FBI field agent who he said told him that the agency’s leadership is “so broken.”
“You’ve got to clean house, and that’s what we’re going to do,” Vance said. “We’re going to fire the people who are responsible for the corruption of our Department of Justice.
“Trump got famous firing people and it’s funny, you know, that’s the kind of person you actually want cleaning house in Washington D.C.”
Newsweek has contacted the Department of Justice and the FBI via email for comment.
Trump and other Republicans have accused the Justice Department of being corrupt for bringing charges against the former president, and the FBI of engaging in numerous alleged politically motivated conspiracies against Trump and other conservatives.
Lower Housing Costs by Deregulating, Drilling, and Deporting
In response to a question about the increasing unaffordability of housing, Vance listed some of Trump’s economic policies which involve removing regulations, drilling for more oil, and deporting migrants.
Repeating the slogan, “drill baby, drill,” Vance argued that by increasing oil production, energy costs would decrease, which would lead to lower housing costs.
He also argued that excessive regulation was holding back housing development, and that American citizens were suffering due to having to compete with undocumented immigrants in the housing market.
“Unless we have American homes (…) going to American citizens, we are never going to make the American dream of home ownership affordable,” Vance said.
The U.S. Would Currently Lose a War With China
Vance argued that China would be able to win a war with the U.S. due to its superior manufacturing capacity.
“God forbid, let’s say we get into a war with China, and I certainly hope that doesn’t happen, but those commercial ships [sic] are going to start building warships very quickly,” Vance said.
“And this is the secret of why did we win the Second World War? Well of course we had the bravest people, and we had the best troops, but we had the world’s industrial might. No one could compete with America’s manufacturing sector.”
Vance argued that creating a regulatory environment which made it easier for businesses to manufacture in America was therefore not just economically essential, but also in the country’s national security interests.
Republicans Are Ahead in Voter Registrations in Pennsylvania
Vance said that Pennsylvania Republicans are “knocking it out of the park” in relation to voter registrations.
“We are actually tracking some of this registration stuff,” Vance said. “Things are moving in the right direction and that’s a very good thing.”
This year has seen rising Republican registrations in the Keystone State. Spotlight PA reported in September that in 2024, the Democrats have had their weakest voter registration advantage compared to Republicans in decades
As of September 16, Democrats made up 44 percent of registered voters in the commonwealth, down from a 2009 high of 51.2 percent, while Republicans were at 40.2 percent, up from 36.9 percent in 2009. Unaffiliated and third-party voters have boosted their numbers even more, from 11.9 percent in 2009 to 15.7 percent.
Newsweek has contacted the Harris and Trump campaigns via email for comment.
Is Pennsylvania the most wrestling-centric state in the country? Does the Keystone State have the most talent? Or even the top talent? Is it harder to win a state title there than anywhere else?
These all are terrific questions, and the answers may vary depending on who you ask and where they’re from, much like our nation’s great pizza debate, where the answers will vary by region.
What we do know for sure, is that Pennsylvania is well-represented in the 2025-2026 FloWrestling High School Wrestling Rankings, but with the 2026 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Boys & Girls Individual State Wrestling Championships on the horizon, where do the competitors rank amongst their peers?
If you follow high school wrestling, you’ve probably already heard many of the names, whether it was at past PIAA events, national tournaments, international competition, college recruiting news or signings, etc.
Now, here they are listed by weight class in FloWrestling’s latest Pennsylvania-only rankings.
Among the most recognizable are Bishop McCort senior Bo Bassett (152 pounds), his brother and teammate Melvin Miller (172 pounds) and Adam Waters (189 pounds) from rival school Faith Christian Academy.
As you get ready to see who takes home the titles at the 2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships, set for March 5-7 at GIANT Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, here’s a look at where everyone falls in the pecking order:
What Are The Weight Classes For High School Wrestling In Pennsylvania?
- Boys: 107, 114, 121, 127, 133, 139, 145, 152, 160, 172, 189, 215, 285
- Girls: 100, 106, 112, 118, 124, 130, 136, 142, 148, 155, 170, 190, 235
Pennsylvania High School Wrestling Rankings Before 2026 PIAA State Championships
As of Feb. 22, 2026
Boys
Girls
When Are The 2026 PIAA Boys & Girls Individual State Wrestling Championships?
The 2026 PIAA Boys & Girls Individual State Wrestling Championships will take place March 5-7, live on FloWrestling and the FloSports app.
The first girls wrestling champions in PIAA action were determined in 2024.
The road back to GIANT Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania, began with regional competition across 12 sites (eight boys, four girls) in February (Feb. 20-21; Feb. 22; Feb. 27-28; Feb. 28)
Among the highlights at the 2025 event was Bassett winning his second individual PIAA state championship and helping Bishop McCort to a Class AA runner-up finish behind Faith Christian.
Read more: 2025 PIAA Wrestling State Championship Results And Brackets
How To Watch The 2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships
Live coverage of the 2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships on March 5-7 will be broadcast on FloWrestling and the FloSports app, with news, notes, stats and more available on both platforms.
Archives will be available immediately following the conclusion of each match.
If you’re going to be in the area and want to catch the action in person, click here for spectator and ticket information.
Read more: 2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships Schedule & Brackets
2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships Brackets
Here’s where you’ll be able to find the brackets for the 2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships:
2026 PIAA Individual State Wrestling Championships Schedule
Here’s a look at when everything is going down:
All Times Eastern
Wednesday, March 4
- 4-7 p.m. – Media registration
- 4-7 p.m. – School registration (AA/Girls/AAA)
- 4-7 p.m. – Qualifying wrestlers’ workout (AA/Girls/AAA) (six mats)
- 6 p.m. – Officials’ meeting
Thursday, March 5 (Session 1)
- 7:30 a.m. – Media registration
- 7:30 a.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AA)
- 7:30 a.m. – Late school registration (AA)
- 7:45 a.m. – Skin condition check (AA)
- 8 a.m. – Weigh-ins (AA)
- 9 a.m. – Preliminaries and first round (AA), six mats (52/104 matches)
- 12:30 p.m. – First-round consolations (AA), six mats
- 12:30 p.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (Girls)
- 12:30 p.m. – Late school registration (Girls)
- 12:45 p.m. – Skin condition check (Girls)
- 1 p.m. – Weigh-ins (Girls)
- 2 p.m. – First round (Girls), six mats (104 matches)
- 3 p.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AAA)
- 3 p.m. – Late school registration (AAA)
- 3:15 p.m. – Skin condition check (AAA)
- 3:30 p.m. – Weigh-ins (AAA)
- 3:30 p.m. – First-round consolations (Girls), six mats (52 matches)
- 4:30 p.m. – Preliminaries and first round (AAA), six mats (52/104 matches)
- 8 p.m. – First-round consolations (AAA), six mats (52 matches)
Friday, March 6 (Session 2/Session 3)
- 6:30 a.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AA)
- 6:45 a.m. – Skin condition check (AA)
- 7 a.m. – Weigh-ins (AA)
- 8 a.m. – Quarterfinals (AA), three mats (52 matches)
- 8 a.m. – Second-round consolations (AA), three mats (52 matches)
- 10:15 a.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (Girls)
- 10:30 a.m. – Third-round consolations (AA), three mats (52 matches)
- 10:30 a.m. – Skin condition check (Girls)
- 10:45 a.m. – Weigh-ins (Girls)
- 11:45 a.m. – Quarterfinals (Girls), six mats (52 matches)
- 12:45 p.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AAA)
- 1 p.m. – Skin condition check (AAA)
- 1:15 p.m. – Weigh-ins (AAA)
- 1:15 p.m. – Second-round consolations (Girls), six mats (52 matches)
- 2:15 p.m. – Quarterfinals (AAA), three mats (52 matches)
- 2:15 p.m. – Second-round consolations (AAA), three mats (52 matches)
- 4:45 p.m. – Third-round consolations (AAA), six mats (52 matches)
- 6:15 p.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AA/Girls/AAA)
- 7 p.m. – Semifinals (AA/Girls/AAA), 2/2/2 mats (26/26/26 matches)
- 9 p.m. – Fourth-round consolations (AA/AAA), 2/2 mats (26/26 matches)
- 9 p.m. – Third-round consolations (Girls), two mats (26 matches)
Saturday, March 7 (Session 4/Session 5)
- 8 a.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AA/Girls/AAA)
- 8:15 a.m. – Skin condition check (AA/Girls/AAA)
- 8:30 a.m. – Weigh-ins (AA/Girls/AAA)
- 8:45 a.m. – Skin condition check, finalists (AA/Girls/AAA)
- 9 a.m. – Weigh-in, finalists (AA/Girls/AAA)
- 9:30 a.m. – Fifth-round consolations (AA/AAA), 2/2 mats (26/26 matches)
- 9:30 a.m. – Fourth-round consolations (Girls), 2 mats (26 matches)
- 11:30 a.m. – Third-, fifth- and seventh-place matches (AA/Girls/AAA), 2/2/2 mats (39/39/39 matches)
- 11:30 a.m.-3 p.m. – Admit coaches and contestants (AA/Girls/AAA)
- 3:40 p.m. – Parade of Champions (AA/Girls/AAA)
- 4 p.m. – Championship Finals (AA/Girls/AAA), 1/1/1 mats (13/13/13 matches)
When Was The 2026 PIAA Team Wrestling State Championships?
The 2026 PIAA Team Wrestling State Championships took place Feb. 6-7 at the 1st Summit Arena in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and included 20 teams that survived the preliminary and first round of the tournament, which was held Feb. 3 at host schools across the state.
The advancing teams made their way to Johnstown for two more days of intense competition, with the 1st Summit Arena hosting the quarterfinals through the championship matches.
In Pennsylvania this year, there were 475 schools participating in boys wrestling.
They were divided into two classifications – 228 schools in AA and 247 schools in AAA – which are further split into 12 districts. Class AA is for schools with 1-308 male enrollees, and Class AAA wrestling includes schools with 309-9999 male students.
Read more: 2026 PIAA Team Wrestling State Championships Schedule & Brackets
Did You Know: PIAA Wrestling Has A Long History
The first state wrestling championships in Keystone State happened in 1938, while the girls were added to the action in 2024. The PIAA Team Wrestling State Championships debuted in 1999.
There are 14 four-time individual state champions in Pennsylvania. Another 30 have won three times.
2025-2026 FloWrestling High School Wrestling Rankings
Top 20 as of Feb. 18, 2026
Curious about how the top wrestlers from each state stack up against competitors from across the country?
Click here to see the latest high school rankings from FloWrestling.
FULL DUAL: Bishop McCort vs. Faith Christian | 2026 PIAA AA Team State Finals
Faith Christian has been dominant in team wrestling in Pennsylvania, and Bishop McCort keeps falling just short.
Trackwrestling Has Joined The New FloWrestling
Trackwrestling officially has merged with FloWrestling, bringing its powerful tournament tracking tools and live data into a modern, all-in-one platform.
Fans can follow every bout with pro-grade brackets, mat schedules, team rosters and detailed wrestler profiles—all seamlessly integrated within FloWrestling.
This move delivers a faster, smarter and more connected experience for the wrestling community. Through the updated FloSports app, users can track live results, explore brackets and even sign up for free alerts so they never miss a match.
FloWrestling Archived Footage
Video footage from all events on FloWrestling will be archived and stored in a video library for FloWrestling subscribers to watch for the duration of their subscriptions.
Join The State Wrestling Conversation On Social
A man has been cited after police said he drove a vehicle into a frozen pond at a country club in Pennsylvania, left the scene, then spent the night in a hotel.
According to the East Lampeter Township Police Department, on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, around 10:38 a.m., officers were called to the Lancaster Country Club after receiving reports about a vehicle in a pond.
Police said that, through an investigation, it was learned that Sung Chun, a 50-year-old man from Hoboken, New Jersey, had driven onto the property the day before around 8:30 p.m., crossed portions of the golf course, and ultimately ended up in a pond.
Chun then exited the vehicle and walked away without reporting the incident and spent the night at a nearby hotel, according to police.
Credit: East Lampeter Township Police Department
Credit: East Lampeter Township Police Department
Credit: East Lampeter Township Police Department
Police said Chun returned to the location while police were on scene investigating the incident and was ultimately cited with “Trespass by Motor Vehicle.”
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