With Election Day quickly approaching, Pennsylvania Democratic gubernatorial candidate Josh Shapiro and U.S. Senate candidate John Fetterman held a “Rally in the Valley” campaign event on Wednesday evening outside of Old Main on Penn State’s campus.
They were joined by Democratic lieutenant governor candidate Austin Davis, as well as local officials including State College Mayor Ezra Nanes, Centre County Commissioners Mark Higgins and Michael Pipe, and state House candidate Paul Takac.
Hundreds of people filled the patio bottom steps at Old Main and spread into the lawn while volunteers handed out signs, buttons and more in support of Shapiro and Fetterman.
Elliot Copeland, a member of Penn State College Democrats, helped to put on Wednesday’s event and welcomed the crowd.
“Our focus has always been on the horizon of tomorrow, with each new day beginning with sunrises over Mount Nittany,” Copeland said. “The leadership we need now must also be thinking of the future, not miring in the grievances of the past.”
Higgins and Pipe encouraged the crowd to understand how critical next Tuesday’s election is.
“It’s not just going to come down to Philly and Pittsburgh,” Higgins said. “Turnout is going to matter here at Penn State, in State College and Centre County. We have to focus on turning out voters across the entire Commonwealth. The results of this election will decide permanently many of the important issues.”
Nanes shared with the crowd why he is supporting Shapiro, Davis and Fetterman.
“I ask myself, ‘Why do I want them to win so badly?’” Nanes said. “Then, I knew it was very simple. It’s because I trust them. I trust them with my family’s future because that’s what’s at stake here. I trust them because their words match their deeds. I trust them to help us secure LGBTQ and trans rights. I trust them to secure the rights of women and all those who can bear children to make their own healthcare decisions.”
Nanes then introduced Takac, the Democratic candidate for representative of House District 82, which is a newly formed district under Pennsylvania’s recent redistricting maps.
Takac discussed the overarching changes that have occurred in Pennsylvania over the past several decades and was followed by state Rep. Scott Conklin, who is seeking reelectionfor the 77th legislative district guest. He began by poking fun at Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mehmet Oz, referencing his questionable residency in Pennsylvania and apparent history of using puppies as test subjects in medical experiments.
Conklin quickly turned serious, though, expressing that next Tuesday’s election isn’t about the candidates. He urged attendees to make the choice that would benefit themselves, not large corporations or CEOs.
“It’s about you,” Conklin said. “It’s about the police officers that are watching over us right now, the guy that cuts the grass, the lady who serves your meal every day at the cafeteria, the doctor, the nurse, the plumber. That’s what this election is about.”
Conklin then introduced Davis, who is running alongside Josh Shapiro as a lieutenant governor candidate. Davis would be Pennsylvania’s first Black lieutenant governor. Davis showed his support for the working class, noting his efforts to maintain unions in the commonwealth.
Davis emphasized the “extreme views” held by his and Shapiro’s opponents, Republican candidates Doug Mastriano and Carrie DelRosso, calling it “the most dangerous ticket in the country.”
“Mastriano has proven time and time again through his own words and actions that he is unfit to serve as a senator in the Pennsylvania General Assembly,” Davis said.
Fetterman, who has served as the 34th lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania since 2019, was quick to make another joke about Oz and his choice of red wine while attending a Penn State tailgate several weeks ago.
The Senate candidate was quick to address the the stroke that he suffered earlier this year, acknowledging that he may skip over some words or slur them together, but saying that at the end of the day, he had simply gotten knocked down and was getting back up.
“Everyone that ever got knocked down in Pennsylvania that ever had to get back up, every forgotten community that has gotten knocked down needs to be built back up,” Fetterman explained.
He highlighted the contrast between Oz’s views and his own, focusing on workers’ rights and raising the minimum wage. About halfway through his speech, Fetterman was repeatedly interrupted by a young man, who quickly drew loud boos from the crowd. Fetterman remained unfazed as the crowd broke out in a “Fetterman” cheer, and the heckler was eventually asked to leave by police.
Fetterman continued to discuss the importance of protecting basic rights such as affordable healthcare, voting rights of college students, marriage equality and a woman’s right to choose.
“If you send me to Washington D.C., I’ll always stand and do what’s right,” he said.
Shapiro followed, telling attendees about how he had also attended a Penn State tailgate recently but without red wine. Shapiro also mentioned a dominant game of cornhole that he played with Franco Harris, and he then dove into his speech.
“I’m prepared to do my part as the next governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,” Shapiro said. “That looks like creating opportunity for all people, and that starts by investing in our schools and making sure that everyone can be safe and feel safe in their communities.”
Shapiro discussed his history as the current attorney general of Pennsylvania, which has included cases against apartment management companies that took advantage of college students, student loan companies, fracking companies and other businesses that have profited off of others’ losses.
He then pivoted to the views of his opponent, Mastriano, whom he pointed out was in attendance outside the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021 rioting
“He went there that day to stop your voice from being heard and to stop our democracy from moving forward,” Shapiro.
Shapiro wrapped up his speech by reminding attendees what freedom really is, which he said is having the choice of bodily autonomy, the choice of what books they allowed to read, the choice of who you marry, and other rights that he said his opponent threatens to take away.
“No matter what you look like, where you come from, who you love, or who you pray to or choose not to pray to, you have a place here in Pennsylvania,” he said.
Election Day is on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
