Local Congressman Says 2020 Presidential Election Could Come Down To Western Pennsylvania
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- With the Iowa Caucuses just five weeks away and the 2020 presidential campaign already in full gear, how important is Pennsylvania in this process?
One local congressman thinks this state — and this region — could be the "decider."
"I can't imagine any election having bigger ramifications for the future of the country than this one," said U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, a Forest Hills Democrat and the Dean of the Pennsylvania Congressional Delegation.
Appearing at a taping of the KD-PG Sunday Edition show on Friday, Doyle said the 2020 presidential election could come down to Pennsylvania and this region.
"Pennsylvania, and more specifically western Pennsylvania, is probably going to play a rather large role in not only who wins the state, but who maybe has the electoral votes to be president."
President Donald Trump has already made multiple visits to the region, along with Vice President Mike Pence, and so have most of the Democrats.
Former Vice President Joe Biden kicked off his campaign here, and U.S. Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, and Amy Klobuchar and Mayor Pete Buttigieg hit the area during the recent education forum in Pittsburgh.
But with a late primary on April 28, will Pennsylvania Democrats play any role in picking their candidate for president?
"There's a possibility that come April 28, we could still have a few candidates in this race. [It] could even go to the convention, something we haven't seen in a long, long time," said Doyle.
Although four states vote in February, and 20 vote on Super Tuesday (March 3), and many others vote before Pennsylvania, Doyle thinks it's possible no candidate will have a majority of delegates by the end of April.
"There's several candidates that have staying power because they have raised so much money, and then you add to that two self-funders, Tom Steyer and Michael Bloomberg."
With no clear front-runners and millions of dollars in the race, 2020 is impossible to predict.
Doyle could be right that Pennsylvania Democrats just might be deciders when it comes to their nominee.
But there's no doubt all Pennsylvania voters will be key in the November general election.
With questions from KDKA political editor Jon Delano and PG political reporter Julian Routh, you can watch the full interview with Doyle on the KD-PG Sunday Edition this Sunday at 6:30 am on KDKA.
