Trump’s Economic Message Faces Doubt in Pennsylvania Key City to Midterms/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Donald Trump’s glowing claims about the economy are clashing with voter frustrations in Allentown, Pennsylvania—a key battleground for the 2026 midterms. As prices surge and economic anxiety grows, local voices express skepticism about the former president’s narrative. The city’s pivotal congressional race underscores national political stakes.
Trump Economy Doubts in Allentown Quick Looks
- City in Focus: Allentown, Pennsylvania — swing district in 2026 midterms
- Population: Approx. 125,000, majority Latino
- Key Issue: Rising prices, affordability crisis
- Trump’s Claim: Economy rated “A+++++” under his leadership
- Local Response: Mixed; many residents say economy feels unstable
- VP Visit: JD Vance rallies support, serves homeless in Allentown
- Polling: Only 31% approve of Trump’s economic handling
- House Race: Rep. Ryan Mackenzie considered vulnerable GOP incumbent
- Democratic Challenge: Firefighter union head Bob Brooks enters race
- Key Economic Pressure Points: Housing, food, healthcare, and gas prices
Trump’s Economic Message Faces Doubt in Pennsylvania Key City to Midterms
Deep Look
ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Donald Trump’s self-proclaimed “A+++++” economy is being met with sharp skepticism in Allentown, a mid-sized Pennsylvania city that will play an outsized role in determining control of Congress in 2026. Despite national headlines and campaign trail optimism, many residents here are feeling the weight of inflation and economic uncertainty.
For retirees like Idalia Bisbal, who moved from New York City seeking affordability, the dream has soured. “It’s worse than ever,” the 67-year-old said while sipping coffee at a local diner. “The prices are high. Everything is going up. You can’t afford food because you can’t afford rent.”
Her comments followed Vice President JD Vance’s rally in a nearby suburb, where he echoed Trump’s claim that the U.S. economy under Republican leadership was thriving—only to be met with incredulity.
“In his world,” Bisbal said of Trump, “In the rich man’s world. In our world, trust me, it’s not an ‘A.’ To me, it’s an ‘F.’”
Vance acknowledged affordability concerns and blamed President Kamala Harris’s administration, promising better days ahead. Still, many locals interviewed expressed frustration not just with economic realities, but with the tone-deaf nature of political messaging.
Economic Worry Cuts Across Party Lines
In conversations with residents, business leaders, and officials, one theme was universal: prices are too high. Whether it’s gas, groceries, rent, or health care, the cost of living is straining households.
Tony Iannelli, president of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, called Trump’s “A+++++” claim a “stretch,” rating the economy as “strong,” but far from “robust.”
Tom Groves, a business owner and longtime Republican, assigned a “B+,” blaming high healthcare costs partly on the Affordable Care Act.
Joe Vichot, Lehigh County GOP chairman, brushed off Trump’s claim as a “colloquialism,” suggesting it wasn’t meant to be taken literally.
Meanwhile, average citizens like Pat Gallagher, a retired Bethlehem Steel worker, voiced deep fatigue over the political bickering.
“I get so frustrated with hearing about the politics,” she said. Like Bisbal, she relies on Social Security and shares concerns about grocery bills and utilities.
A Front Row Seat in Political Theater
Allentown has long held symbolic political value. Immortalized in Billy Joel’s 1982 song, it has been a frequent campaign stop for both parties in presidential and midterm elections. Trump and Harris both visited in 2024, and the media spotlight has rarely left.
As attention shifts toward the 2026 midterms, Allentown remains a bellwether. Republicans hope to defend Rep. Ryan Mackenzie, who won a close race in 2024 and is now seen as one of the most vulnerable incumbents.
Mackenzie, who ousted a three-term Democrat, faces the challenge of holding together a coalition energized by Trump’s candidacy while appealing to independents disillusioned with both parties. At a recent rally with Vance, he slammed the “failures of Bidenomics,” then returned to Washington, where he broke ranks with GOP leadership to back a healthcare subsidy extension.
Vichot described Mackenzie as an “underdog” whose recent move shows compassion for struggling constituents—a necessary image in a district where pocketbook issues are front and center.
Shifting Politics in a Changing City
Lehigh County, which includes Allentown, shifted toward Trump in 2024, though Kamala Harris narrowly carried the county by 2.7 points—the closest margin for a Democrat since 2004. Democrats are now regrouping with an eye on flipping Mackenzie’s seat.
State Governor Josh Shapiro, a potential 2028 presidential contender, endorsed firefighter union leader Bob Brooks in the upcoming Democratic primary, signaling the importance of the race to the party’s national strategy.
Democrats performed well in the region’s 2025 elections, including a decisive win in the race for county executive. They’re counting on economic dissatisfaction and local activism to reverse 2024’s Republican momentum.
Reality vs. Rhetoric
The White House and Trump campaign have leaned heavily on economic claims to defend their record and energize voters. But Allentown’s economic reality complicates that narrative.
Vance’s rally took place near a Uline warehouse owned by a GOP donor family, just a few miles from a Mack Trucks facility that recently laid off 200 workers—cuts partially attributed to tariffs imposed during Trump’s presidency. Governor Shapiro highlighted this irony in his response to Vance’s visit.
While Trump promotes American manufacturing and economic independence, many Allentown residents feel the pressure of policy decisions that haven’t delivered relief in their everyday lives.
Meanwhile, Allentown’s image is evolving. Once a blue-collar manufacturing hub, it now features a revitalized downtown with modern housing, boutique hotels, and an arena that hosts the Lehigh Valley Phantoms hockey team and national music acts. The city has also become majority Latino, driven by Puerto Rican, Mexican, and Dominican growth.
Mayor Matt Tuerk, the city’s first Latino mayor, sees Allentown as a place of transformation.
“It’s constantly changing, and I think over the next three years until that next presidential election, we’re going to see a lot more change. It’s going to be an interesting ride.”
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