A road trip through Pennsylvania, the ultimate swing state - Podcast

This weekend, just before US voters went to the polls, Michael Safi took a road trip through Pennsylvania. He headed for Route 222, known locally for years as the “Road to Nowhere” after planning problems held up its completion. Today, the highway runs through cities like Lancaster and Allentown, offering a glimpse into the rural and urban areas of the largest swing state in the US election campaign.

In this Rust Belt state, Michael discovered how the Trump-Harris race has confused political loyalties. At a modern art gallery in Lancaster, he met an artist who told him how traditional rural Republicans, like his own parents, had turned away from Donald Trump's divisive rhetoric. But he also met urban voters who insisted Trump was a smart businessman and would fix the economy.

Latino voters are expected to play a central role in the state's development. In Allentown, Michael heard from two political activists from the Latino community, a passionate Republican and a Democratic activist, who explained how an offensive joke about Puerto Rico at a Trump rally had led to an angry backlash from many of the voters he had faced met.

On Monday, Kamala Harris led a rally in the city and reminded her audience of the loss to Puerto Rico. Pennsylvania has supported the winner in every presidential election, but while emotions are running high, the outcome in this key swing state couldn't be less clear.