Vince Fenerty: Republican gains in Philadelphia helped carry the party to statewide victories
Kelly Kiernan via Unsplash
Philadelphia’s Republican Party has put in the hard work to register voters, recruit quality candidates, and meet people in their neighborhoods to discuss issues and put forth our ideas. The results of that work were clear on Election Day, and I believe we will continue this positive trend. This is an effort that has been years in the making, and it is something we will not stop moving forward.
Since the 2020 election, the Philadelphia Republican Party has put a strong emphasis on two key grassroots efforts: registration and mail-in ballots.
In that time, Republican registration in the city increased by nearly thirteen percent and the city also saw one of the state’s highest voter registration increases in the last week of the registration period prior to the 2024 General Election.
At the same time, the share of mail-in ballot returns among Republicans in the city increased 42 percent between the 2020 and 2024 elections.
Finally, Republicans increased the number of wards it won outright in the city by 66 percent.
It is clear that the efforts of the City Committee, our committee people, and our volunteers have been successful in achieving the goals we set forth after the 2020 election and helped lay the groundwork for the victories we saw on Tuesday.
Nowhere were the results of the Republican City Committee’s work more clearly seen than in President Trump’s Pennsylvania victory.
Support for President Trump increased across the city, with his campaign gaining 2.4 percentage points over his 2020 showing. This gain was driven by shifts among Latino and African-American voters — two voter groups both the Trump campaign and Republican City Committee made particular outreach efforts toward — immigrants, and the loss of traditional union member support for Democrats.
President Trump and Republicans up and down the ballot proved that by focusing on the issues that truly impact the lives of Philadelphia residents, including the cost of living, crime, illegal immigration, and far-left policies that place special interests above working families, Republicans can win support in our city.
Republican gains across the city can also be credited with helping other candidates. United States Senator-elect Dave McCormick leads by just over 40,000 votes — a number that would normally be more than overcome by traditional Philadelphia returns. This year, it was not.
Every journey starts with a single step and ours started in 2020 by looking at the results of that election, developing a strategic plan, and putting that plan into action. While we still have further to walk on this path and more gains to make, we are heading in the right direction and helping bring common sense back to government.
Vince Fenerty is the Philadelphia Republican City Committee Chairman.
As of 11/15/2024 there is an ongoing effort to find enough votes for Casey to defeat McCormick. How is this still going on?
Diane Ellis-Marseglia, one of the Democrats on the Bucks County board, voted to count the ballots, saying that “if I violate this law, it’s because I want a court to pay attention to it.”
Lara Trump, co-chair of the RNC, responded to a clip of Ellis-Marseglia’s comments, writing on X: “This is why the @GOP sued Bucks County [in] the PA Supreme Court. This is a BLATANT violation of the law and we intend to fight it every step of the way.”
Lawrence Tabas, chair of the Pennsylvania Republican Party, said: “What’s taking place in these counties is absolute lawlessness. We will not rest and we will do everything in our power to make sure the law is upheld and voter confidence remains intact.”
HOW ARE THERE/ WERE THERE over 80,000 uncounted provisional, mail-in and absentee ballots as of this past Wednesday afternoon? Can someone please do a cogent, objective news story on this current situation?
President Trump’s Philly total voter increase came to 7,000 votes while the number of Democratic voters who did not bother to vote at all came to 40,000+ voters. The Repubs carried 5 wards- three in Northeast Philly, one in the Bridesburg/River Wards, and one ,the 26th in the last remnant of Italian South Philly – Packer Park & Girard Estates neighborhoods. Now I manned a polling place in Northeast Philly – there was a very visible increase in 1st time voters – emigres/new citizens from the former Soviet Union, young mostly White guys – at my voting division. And that was it.
In addition to the top five Philadelphia Republican Wards that President Trump carried on November 5th, 2024. I also believe that the Republican Ward Leaders and their Republican Committee people south of Cottman Avenue deserve major recognition for their vastly improved performances over 2020. Gary Grisafi (53rd Ward), Dave Rodrigues (42nd Ward), Lynwood Holland (35th Ward), Mike McLaughlin (33rd Ward) Congressional Candidate Aaron Bashir (54th Ward), and Pete Smith’s 62nd Ward accomplishments were also outstanding. Gary Grifasi’s 53rd Ward: Trump +372 Harris -1213, David Rodrigues’ 42nd Ward: Trump +508 Harris -1578, Lynwood Holland’s 35th Ward: Trump +337 Harris -1721, Mike McLaughlin’s 33rd Ward: Trump +438 Harris -1002, Aaron Bashir’s 54th Ward: Trump +280 Harris -1426 and Pete Smith’s 62nd Ward: Trump +277 Harris -1271. These Wards also greatly improved their vote totals for the rest of the Republican ticket over their 2020 performances. Chris Vogler and Republican Committee people’s rapidly demographically changing 55th Ward also did a fine job of holding on to what they had and benefitting from the Harris Democrats staying home: Harris: -1563.