Weissport, Pennsylvania, turns blue

Tonight I attended a meeting of the Carbon County Democrats for Progress, a local group of activists.  The speaker was Billy O’Gurek, Chair of the County Democratic Party.  Mr. O’Gurek analyzed the results of the recent election in Pennsylvania and in the County.  The Democrats did very well statewide, winning elections for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, and U.S. Senator, and picking up seats in both state houses.  Unfortunately, in Carbon County we were slammed.  

Carbon County is rural and somewhat depressed, with high opioid use and few job prospects.  In other words, Trump country.  However, O’Gurek noted that one municipality in the County voted Democratic in the Governor’s race, the U.S. Senate race, and the U.S. House race.  It was the tiny borough of Weissport, famous for the annual Redneck Festival.  

I am not kidding.  Every September the borough holds a “Redneck Festival.”  Nonetheless, out of the municipalities in the County, Weissport was the only one to go Democratic in all of those races.  Now we have to figure out why and duplicate that.