Trump won 65 percent of the vote in Butler County in 2020 and needs to win here by a large margin again to carry Pennsylvania, motivating both Republicans and Democrats to get out the vote.
One of the city’s most famous artists has created a 400-pound sculpture of Donald Trump raising his fist in the air, capturing the moment that split this Pennsylvania community in two. Digital billboards blaming Democrats and the media forThe long-simmering tensions in Butler that erupted after a gunman shot Trump in the ear at a rally have yet to cool nearly two months later.
Jennifer Ford, the historical society’s executive director, said Butler has seen flashes of political tension before, especially considering the community’s proximity to heavily unionized Pittsburgh. But Ford said she can’t recall another time that was “as outright frightening.”Long before it was known as the place where Trump was shot, Butler’s biggest claim to fame was being home of the Jeep.
Democrats believe they can narrow Trump’s win in Butler County this year. In the 2022 governor’s race, they note, Republican Doug Mastriano won by a relatively slim 55% of the vote. Hulings said many Butler residents who have long stayed out of politics seem enthralled by Trump’s defiance after he was shot.
The group quickly became a sort of therapy for local Harris supporters who said they had been too fearful to express their political beliefs. On a recent afternoon, about 80 people gathered at a small park, sat in a circle and shared why they are supporting Harris. Some of the women had LGBTQ+ or mixed-race children. Others spoke about abortion rights or the need to maintain more civility in government.
“How are you this blind?” one of the callers said in a voicemail. “You are as confused as Joe Biden. You are in the wrong state. You think you are home? Nah, you are a long way from home.”“I put it on Monday, and on Tuesday I walked out to my car and there is a brick on my windshield,” said Rhonda, 65, who asked to be referred only by her first name, out of fear for her safety. “This is not the Butler I grew up in … It was a peaceful town.
Within two hours of the shooting, John Placek began displaying a digital billboard blaming Democrats for the assassination attempt. The sign shows Trump gripping an American flag along with a target over his face. Another billboard asks, “WILL THEY TRY TO ASSASSINATE PRESIDENT TRUMP AGAIN?” A third shows Harris with red horns and states “DEMOCRATS KILL BABIES AND DREAMS.”
“When the left-wing media, and when uses rhetoric like that, they are absolutely responsible for an creating an environment that basically says, ‘We want these types of people exterminated,’” said Bernstine. In an interview, Osche acknowledged that her response"was rather curt" but said she was traumatized by the shooting and having to usher“After having bullets flying over my head, the mother in me was not a happy camper,” said Osche, adding that she thinks Butler “will heal in time.”Even as the county’s political divide deepens, many residents say they are eager to move beyond the polarization and their city’s new reputation.
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