It looks like the GOP is pulling ahead in the voter registration game, and the numbers speak for themselves. In states like Pennsylvania and North Carolina, Republicans are adding nearly twice as many new voters as the Democrats. In Pennsylvania, a major battleground, conservative activist Scott Presler has been working his magic, registering nearly 61,000 Republicans in September alone. Meanwhile, Democrats only managed to bring in about 36,000 new voters. Presler’s latest strategy? Tapping into the Amish community, a group that has largely stayed out of politics until now. With 87,000 potential voters in Pennsylvania’s Amish population, it’s no wonder the Democrats are getting nervous.
Over in North Carolina, another key state for the 2024 election, Republicans registered more than 19,000 new voters in September, doubling the Democrats’ numbers. These voter registration pushes are making it clear that the GOP is laser-focused on flipping these crucial states. Pennsylvania, in particular, is seen as the ultimate prize for both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. Trump took the state in 2016 but lost it to Biden in 2020, so it’s no surprise both sides are fighting tooth and nail for it now. And based on a new poll by Cygnal, Trump seems to have the edge, especially in the swing counties of Erie and Northampton.
The poll shows Trump leading Harris by a slim margin, less than a percentage point, in Pennsylvania’s critical bellwether counties. What’s even more telling is the trend: long-time Democrats in these areas are starting to abandon the party in favor of Trump. Despite the Democrats having a 4-point registration advantage in these counties, it looks like the shift in voter sentiment could play a significant role in 2024. The story is similar in North Carolina, where Trump is also ahead of Harris by less than 1 point.
It’s not just Pennsylvania and North Carolina where Republicans are gaining ground. Even in deep blue states like California, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, the GOP managed to out-register Democrats in September. In Nevada, Republicans registered over 9,000 new voters, narrowly beating Democrats, while in Florida, the GOP added over 60,000 new voters compared to the Democrats’ 36,000. The trend is clear—Republicans are on the offensive in voter registration, even in traditionally blue states.
So, while Democrats might still be hoping their registration numbers will catch up, the GOP is making it clear that they’re not slowing down anytime soon. These voter registration surges, particularly in battleground states, are setting the stage for a fiercely competitive 2024 election. The Democrats may want to take notes because the Republican ground game is proving to be a force to be reckoned with.
