On November 5, 2024, it was the election day in the United States. In Pennsylvania, besides voting for the President of the United States, there were also elections for United States Senators and Representatives, as well as for Pennsylvania State Senators, Representatives, Auditor General, Attorney General, and Treasurer. Being a swing state in the U.S. presidential election, the results of the Senate and House elections in Pennsylvania will also have a significant impact on the country.
The current U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania, Bob Casey Jr., a Democrat seeking re-election for a fourth term, is facing a fierce challenge from Republican candidate David McCormick. There are 17 congressional seats in Pennsylvania, all up for election this year.
Pennsylvania’s Senate has 25 seats up for election, with Republicans currently holding a majority of 28 seats compared to Democrats’ 22. The Pennsylvania House, with all 203 seats up for election, has Democrats holding a slim majority of 102 seats compared to Republicans’ 101. Most of the state legislative races are non-competitive, with only a few closely contested races determining which party controls the state legislature.
On the evening of November 2, Aaron Bashir, a Congressional candidate from Pennsylvania’s Second District, held a gathering in Northeast Philadelphia, urging voters to use their “common sense” in voting and to bring God back.
Bashir, an Asian American running in the predominantly Democratic district of Philadelphia, expressed confidence in his campaign efforts and fervently called on Americans to bring back God. He highlighted inflation, crime, failed education systems, and open borders as key issues, emphasizing the importance of election integrity and fairness.
According to Bashir, “America needs God back, that’s what our campaign represents. America needs common-sense policies that nourish its people, rather than sending billions of dollars to other countries.”
Bashir criticized the public school system in Philadelphia, calling it a “disaster” where people are victims of shootings, murders, and violence, especially among teenagers. He attributed these issues to the absence of God in the school system, stating that without God, children would become lost, and America would lack hope, purpose, and direction. He emphasized the simple message of their campaign: bring back common sense and bring back God.
“There’s chaos right now. Inflation is the biggest problem, along with the issue of open borders allowing illegal drugs to flow in. We need to stop them because open border policies, illegal drugs, and crime are causing deaths among Americans. So, these are very, very important issues to me, inflation, crime, and savings.”
He concluded, “If you’re tired of crime and inflation, if you’re tired of failing public school systems, I am your voice. America needs God back. America needs common-sense policies.”
At the gathering, there were people who had switched from the Democratic Party to the Republican Party. Stanley George, a 61-year-old political strategist and Republican candidate, originally from South India, immigrated to the United States in 1991.
George had been an activist in the Democratic movement for over 30 years in New York, working for the campaigns of President Obama and Hillary Clinton. However, in 2019, he found through his research on American history, some guidance enlightening him on the differences between the two parties, the formation history of the Democratic and Republican parties, and more, which opened his eyes.
George stated that many mainstream media outlets portray Trump as “someone he is not.” He defended Trump against accusations of racism, saying that he is not against immigration but against the millions of illegal border crossers who are terrorists, murderers, sex traffickers, and drug dealers. George stressed that thorough background checks are necessary to prevent such individuals from entering the country.
George emphasized that Trump supports immigration for skilled professionals such as technicians, engineers, doctors, and other professionals needed in the U.S. He argued that illegal immigrants harm the country’s security and are a threat to national security.
He believed that this election is more crucial than any in American history, as it could change the fate of the United States, its future, and even the world’s future. He stressed the importance of taking thoughtful action before voting and urged every citizen to help make America the greatest country on earth again.