Philadelphia Suburbs 'Critical To Any Democrat Looking To Carry Pennsylvania' As Polls Suggest Joe Biden Leading
BROOMALL, Pa. (CBS) -- Tuesday night's presidential debate apparently turned many viewers off. Sixty-nine percent told CBS News they felt annoyed by it, as 83% of poll respondents said the overall tone was negative.
One of the critical states in the 2020 election is Pennsylvania, especially the Philadelphia suburbs.
On Wednesday morning, President Donald Trump said in a tweet that because Joe Biden did not mention law and order in the debate, he lost the suburbs.
However, political analysts, experts and polls disagree with that.
The Philadelphia suburbs is a sharp mix of political persuasion, with lawn signs spotlighting taste and preference, often where next-door neighbors are in different camps.
On the surface, the signs also reveal a sub-story of sorts, of Philly's collar counties that could swing one way or the other. It's a population mass that makes up 20% of the Pennsylvania vote.
"The road to victory goes straight through Pennsylvania," Vice President Mike Pence said Tuesday.
The Trump campaign has visited a lot. On Tuesday night, Pence was in Lancaster County. That's friendly Republican territory.
Joe Biden's campaign has navigated closer to the city, a place where in 2016, more than 80% of Philadelphia voters chose Hillary Clinton.
Stacey Abrams, a former Georgia politician who was said to be on Biden's shortlist for VP, talked with CBS3's Joe Holden about the suburbs.
"Folks in the suburbs, just like folks in the city and in the rural areas, understand that we are hungry for real leadership in this country," Abrams said.
Polls suggest Biden will pick up Delaware, Chester, Bucks and Montgomery Counties. But, polls aren't always reliable, as we know from 2016.
The idea of a tossup in the Philly suburbs isn't a tremendous long shot, according to political experts.
"If Joe Biden is gonna win Pennsylvania, he better do well in those counties. They're critical to any Democrat looking to carry Pennsylvania," said Dr. Larry Sabato, with University of Virginia's Center for Politics.
In 2016, Clinton took 60% of Delaware County and then it got very narrow between the two candidates, with Clinton garnering about 50% in Montgomery, Chester and Bucks Counties.
