Key Pennsylvania county flips to majority GOP for registered voters

A county in the battleground state of Pennsylvania that has historically been a Democratic stronghold has flipped to the Republican Party for the first time in over four decades, according to Pennsylvania State Department data released on Monday.

There are now more Republicans registered to vote in Luzerne County than there are Democrats. The GOP currently holds a slim advantage with 87,415 registered voters compared to Democrats with 87,332, data shows.

Additionally, 6,160 residents are registered as third-party voters while 22,414 are unaffiliated voters.

Luzerne County, located in northeast Pennsylvania near Scranton, has been a Democratic bastion since 1972. The shift reflects broader political trends that began in 2014 when Democratic support in the county first started to decline, WFMZ reported. The most recent voter registration figures, which can largely be attributed to grassroots efforts, are regarded as a signal for upcoming elections in Pennsylvania, a crucial battleground state in US politics, even though the margin is still close.

Gene Ziemba, chairman of the Luzerne County Republican Party, welcomed the recent shift and said that while he is "excited that our work is getting out and being heard" there is still much to do in the next six weeks leading up to the Nov. 2024 Presidential Election to ensure a victory for GOP nominee Donald Trump, he said.

"The celebration will not be till Nov. 5," Ziemba told WFMZ. "We can't afford to take our foot off the gas. I believe Luzerne County holds the key to Mr. Trump taking Pennsylvania on Nov. 5. Luzerne County holds the key to the election."