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Why AP called Pennsylvania for Trump

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Why AP called Pennsylvania for Trump


WASHINGTON (AP) — If it wasn’t a red wave in the nation’s most consequential battleground, there was at least a red swell.

Donald Trump reclaimed Pennsylvania by improving his margins across the state, shaving Democratic President Joe Biden’s 2020 win in Philadelphia, expanding his own dominance in rural parts of the state, and — at the time The Associated Press called the race at 2:24 a.m. ET — flipping key suburban counties to the GOP column.

Trump led the state by some 175,000 votes at the time the AP called the race. Even if Vice President Kamala Harris were to carry the outstanding votes — which included ballots from counties she was losing — by 20 points over Trump, she still would not be able to close the gap.

Trump’s victory showed up across the state. In populous suburban Philadelphia’s Bucks County and neighboring Northampton County, Trump was leading — two places seen as bellwethers that Biden won four years ago. Trump did several points better in the populous Philadelphia suburbs of Chester and Delaware. He was winning in Erie in the northwest corner of the state, which Biden took narrowly four years ago.

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Even in the Democratic stronghold of Philadelphia, Trump was doing 3 percentage points better than he did four years ago.

CANDIDATES: President: Harris (D) vs. Trump (R) vs. Chase Oliver (Libertarian) vs. Jill Stein (Green).

WINNER: Trump

POLL CLOSING TIME: 8 p.m. ET

ABOUT THE RACE: The biggest contested prize this year, Pennsylvania saw dozens of visits by Harris and Trump — more than any state.

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The state was where Trump survived an assassination attempt in Butler over the summer. He has appeared at rallies and events across the state and donned an apron at a McDonald’s in suburban Philadelphia in an effort to connect with voters.

Harris appeared at the site where George Washington crossed the Delaware River during the Revolutionary War to highlight her support from some Republicans disillusioned by Trump. She held a get-out-the-vote rally in Philadelphia — a major source of Democratic support — in the race’s waning days.

Trump carried the state by a single point in 2016, while Biden defeated him by 1 point in 2020.

Pennsylvania struggled with a relatively new early voting option, which permitted voters to request mail ballots that could be cast before Election Day.

Unlike early voting in other states that have polling places, Pennsylvania counties saw lines of people seeking to get early mail ballots in part after Trump and billionaire Elon Musk encouraged Republicans to embrace mail-in voting. In 2020, Trump said baselessly that mail ballots were rife with fraud.

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WHY AP CALLED THE RACE: Trump performed better in traditionally Democratic Philadelphia than Biden did four years ago and improved his margins in key populous suburban counties. The race was called when it became clear that even if Harris won the outstanding votes by a wider margin than she had been, she couldn’t close the gap.

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Learn more about how and why the AP declares winners in U.S. elections at Explaining Election 2024, a series from The Associated Press aimed at helping make sense of the American democracy. The AP receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP’s democracy initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.





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Emergency crews evacuate patients while battling blaze at Pennsylvania hospital

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Emergency crews evacuate patients while battling blaze at Pennsylvania hospital


DICKSON CITY, Pa. — Emergency crews battled a blaze and evacuated patients from a hospital Wednesday night in Pennsylvania as fire engulfed part of the facility, according to officials.

All patients, staff and visitors were safely evacuated from Lehigh Valley Hospital in Dickson City, according to a hospital spokesperson. Emergency responders continued to work at the scene early Thursday.

Gov. Josh Shapiro said on the social platform X that the state’s police, emergency management agency and health department had responded to the fire.

“Thank you to every first responder running toward danger to help their fellow Pennsylvanians,” he said. “Lori and I are praying for the staff, patients, their families, and the entire community tonight.”

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In video and photos posted online, flames can be seen shooting out from the top of what appears to be the hospital’s Orthopedic Institute.

It was not immediately clear what had caused the fire in Dickson City, which is about 6 miles (10 kilometers) north of Scranton.

“Deep gratitude goes to the first responders and hospital teams whose swift, professional actions ensured the safety and well-being of everyone involved,” U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan Jr., whose district includes the city, posted on X.

Copyright © 2026 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.



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Video shows ICE agents pulling 2 men from vehicle in Phoenixville, Pa.

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Video shows ICE agents pulling 2 men from vehicle in Phoenixville, Pa.


Viral video that appears to show Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents pulling two men from a vehicle in Chester County sparked a protest and responses from local officials.

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A person who posted the clip to social media said the incident occurred on Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026, outside the Foodery on Bridge Street in Phoenixville. The video shows federal agents opening up a vehicle and pulling two men from inside as witnesses yell at them.

“Dirt bags,” one woman screams at the agents. “Get a real job!”

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A man is then repeatedly heard yelling “back up” to the witnesses as the camera moves away from the vehicle. The camera then shows the ICE agents surrounding two men on the ground as a woman once again calls the federal officers “dirt bags” and tells them to show their faces.

Aiden Donovan, one of the witnesses, told NBC10 he thought the agents came from the district court building from across the street.

“It was a lot,” Donovan said. “I mean they were trying to open the door, knowing that didn’t work, they brought the batons out and just smashed the window in and ripped the glass out, pulled them out.”

Another video obtained by NBC10 shows the agents taking the two men into custody.

“We tried to tell them to leave,” Donovan said. “We tried to say, ‘This is private property. You can’t be here. Like especially you’re not going to be even coming into the store. You have no reason to be here.’ We called the cops. The cops said, ‘They are fully allowed to do what they want. They’re federal agents.’”

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In a statement, Phoenixville Mayor Peter Urscheler explained why local law enforcement couldn’t intervene.

“Immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility and local police departments, including Phoenixville’s, are not required to enforce federal immigration laws unless they have a formal agreement to do so,” Urscheler wrote. “The Phoenixville Borough Police Department has never had such an agreement.”

NBC10 sent follow-up questions to the mayor’s office. We have not yet received a response.

Marian Moskowitz of the Chester County Board of Commissioners also released a statement on the video.

“We are seeing enforcement efforts that raise serious concerns about due process, proportionality, and humane treatment,” Moskowitz wrote. ”I strongly believe there must be meaningful oversight of ICE’s activities, and I hope Pennsylvania can find a way to ensure accountability and the protection of basic civil rights.”

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NBC10 also reached out to the Chester County District Attorney’s Office. A spokesperson said they had no comment.

The video led to a protest in Phoenixville on Wednesday.

“This wasn’t the first time that ICE has been to Phoenixville and it wasn’t the first time that they’ve taken people,” one protester said.

Federal officials have not revealed details on what led to the incident or the identities of the men who were taken into custody.

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Witnesses describe ‘violent’ arrests by federal agents in Phoenixville, Pa.

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Witnesses describe ‘violent’ arrests by federal agents in Phoenixville, Pa.


PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. (WPVI) — Community members voiced anger and concern Tuesday after witnesses reported what they described as violent arrests by federal officers in downtown Phoenixville, Pennsylvania, earlier in the day.

Video shared with Action News purportedly shows agents with Enforcement and Removal Operations, a division of ICE, making arrests Tuesday morning.

“We saw windows smashed, we saw people being dragged from their cars,” said Parker Studebaker of the Phoenixville Liberation Center.

Witnesses said federal agents surrounded a red SUV between 9 and 10 a.m. as it pulled into a parking lot on Taylor Alley. They said officers later returned to the same location and targeted a green SUV. The arrests occurred directly across from the police department, borough hall, and the courthouse.

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“They ripped this other guy out of a car and handcuffed him. It was really aggressive and overly violent,” said Alicia West of Phoenixville.

Video from the scene shows clashes between agents and community members. It remains unclear who was taken into custody, why, or where the individuals were taken.

“It’s scary. It’s definitely something that you never want to see, your neighbors get abducted,” said Phoenixville resident Dalton Spitler.

“It’s infuriating. It’s really terrible to see that happen and not be able to do anything,” West said.

Action News reached out to the Department of Homeland Security seeking details about the arrests and any broader operations in Chester County, but has not received a response.

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In a statement Tuesday, the Phoenixville mayor reaffirmed that borough police do not assist federal officers in immigration enforcement.

Studebaker, director ofthe Phoenixville Liberation Center, said he helps document incidents like this and supports families afterward.

“Every member of our community – regardless of status – is a member of our community, and at the liberation center, we’ve been able to bring together a lot of people to organize around this principal and protect our community,” he said.

Action News again contacted a DHS spokesperson on Tuesday and is still awaiting a response.

FULL STATEMENT: Clarification on the role of the Phoenixville Borough Police Department in immigration enforcement

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Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.



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