Presidential politics arrives in Berks County with a visit from JD Vance

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While Pennsylvania will play a key role in deciding who occupies the White House next year — making the battleground state a popular place for visits and rallies — Berks County had not drawn the attention of either campaign.

That is, until Saturday.

The county received its first presidential campaign visit, with vice presidential candidate, former President Donald Trump's running mate JD Vance holding a rally at the Berks County Fairgrounds in Bern Township.

With Berks having gone to Trump in each of the last two elections, it came as no surprise that the event drew a large and enthusiastic crowd.

By 1 p.m., about two-and-a-half hours before the scheduled start time for the rally, a sea of people were already waiting in line to get in. Many wore bright red MAGA hats, shirts depicting the former president or clothing adorned with the Stars and Stripes.

Most of the crowd were clearly fervent Trump supporters, excited by the chance to get a first-hand glimpse of the man he chose as his running mate.

And Jordan Miller thinks it was a perfect choice. The Reading resident said he's impressed with the resume that Vance has built.

"He's the right guy for the job," he said. "He has my support 100 billion percent."

Wrapped in a flag depicting Trump with a raised fist moments after the assassination attempt on his life in Butler County on July 13, Miller said he believes that a Trump-Vance ticket will help those who are struggling financially.

"The price of food, utilities and gas is out of control right now," the 31-year-old said. "The economy was amazing when he was in office and, hopefully, he can bring that back if he gets reelected."

Supporting policies that lead to lower prices is one of the key reasons why Rich and Betty Jo Geyer are supporting the Republican candidates in the election. The Pottstown couple said they believe Trump has a plan to fix the economy.

"We came here today to show our support for those policies," he said. "Another big issue for me is securing our southern border. Those are the two big items that I'm concerned about."

Betty Jo Geyer said she really wanted to see Vance speak. She admitted that she doesn't know as much about his stance on the issues as she should, but thinks his background is inspiring.

Vance has served as a U.S. senator representing Ohio since 2022. He holds a law degree from Yale University and worked as a venture capitalist before he entered politics.

Vance authored the bestselling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy" about growing up in a troubled family in a small town. He is also a Marine Corps veteran who served in the Iraq War.

"I'm pretty impressed with his rags-to-riches story and how far he has come," she said.

Cherise Moser said it was great to see how many people came out to the rally. As the leader of a nonprofit organization that promotes political engagement, Moser was happy that her fellow citizens were taking an interest in the issues.

"My goal is to inspire and encourage people to get activated in their local communities," she said. "We need more people to be cognizant of how our government works and part of that is seeing for themselves what the candidates have to say."

Moser, who wore a brightly-colored hat that resembled the flag, noted that she's an independent voter who is moved more by policies than personalities. She said the policies championed by Trump more align with her personal beliefs.

"What I find with Trump is that when we look at his overseas policies, at the peace we had here in this country, at the economy, at the protection of kids in our schools, those are the things that I care about most," she said.

Originally Published: September 21, 2024 at 3:09 p.m.