Trump's 'A+++++' economy collides with reality in a Pennsylvania city critical to the midterms

ALLENTOWN, Pa. — In a city its politics often mirrors the national debate, 67-year-old Idalia Bisbal said life has grown tougher since she moved from New York City about three years ago. She relies on Social Security and said prices for essentials have surged across the board. "It's worse than ever," Bisbal said, sipping coffee at the Hamilton Family Restaurant. "The prices are high. Everything is going up. You can't afford food because you can't afford rent. Utilities are too high. Gas is too expensive. Everything is too expensive."

Her remarks came as Vice President JD Vance rallied Republicans in a nearby suburb, part of a broader push by the White House and GOP to frame the economy as a deciding issue in next year’s midterms. The gathering followed President Donald Trump’s second high-profile stop in Pennsylvania in a week, as the former president and his allies seek to translate affordability concerns into electoral momentum. Vance later served a meal to men experiencing homelessness in Allentown.

The scene underscored a broader question gripping the political map: can Republicans shore up support in competitive districts like the one that includes Allentown while acknowledging economic anxiety? A new AP-NORC poll found that only 31% of U.S. adults approve of the way Trump is handling the economy, down from 40% in March, a reality that contrasts with Trump's own public proclamations. During the rally, Vance repeated Trump's self-assessed grade of an economy labeled "A+++++" by the former president, a description Bisbal dismissed.

In Lehigh Valley, which anchors the 7th Congressional District and is Pennsylvania's third-largest metro area, residents and local officials described a mixed economic picture. Tony Iannelli, president and CEO of the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, called Trump's grade a "stretch" while saying the region has a solid economy, but that it has not yet reached a level of robust growth. Tom Groves, who runs a health and benefits consulting firm, characterized the economy as a "B+" and attributed higher health costs in part to the Affordable Care Act and to stock- and labor-market volatility. Joe Vichot, chairman of Lehigh County's Republican Committee, called Trump's grade a "colloquialism".

Amid competing narratives, residents said the cost of living exceeded partisan labels. Pat Gallagher, who was finishing lunch near Bisbal, recalled meeting her late husband when both worked at Bethlehem Steel and said rising grocery prices and political rancor have left her exhausted. "I get so frustrated with hearing about the politics," she said. The enduring tensions are fitting for a city that has long lived at the crossroads of national debates.

Allentown has evolved beyond its manufacturing heyday. The downtown now features row houses, hotels and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms arena, while Latino residents have become a plurality as Puerto Rican, Mexican and Dominican communities have grown. Mayor Matt Tuerk, the city's first Latino leader, called Allentown a place of rapid change and said the next three years will bring further shifts as the region prepares for another presidential cycle.

The political dynamic in Allentown is shaped by a district that swung toward Trump in 2020 and 2022, helping Republicans win seats such as U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzie's. Mackenzie, however, faces a competitive reelection bid in a year when results in the Lehigh County portion of the district are critical to whether Republicans can hold the House. He spoke to party faithful on Tuesday about the failures of Bidenomics, a contrast to Vance's rally the next day. In a separate sign of the era, Mackenzie was back in Washington the following day, joining three other House Republicans to push a vote on extending health-care subsidies that expire at year's end.

Lehigh County's political winds have shifted since last year's countywide elections, when Democrats won a county executive race by a comfortable margin. Gov. Josh Shapiro has since endorsed firefighter union leader Bob Brooks for the May primary, signaling an effort by Democrats to consolidate support ahead of the midterms. The district's political battleground status is underscored by a local reality: voters want relief from higher prices, while campaigns debate who can deliver it and at what cost to policy priorities.

The Allentown economy bears both the scars and opportunities of a transitioning region. The Uline distribution facility near the Mack Trucks plant — an area that has faced job cuts in recent years — highlights the fragile balance between tariffs and manufacturing health. Local officials say that while some sectors are growing, others remain vulnerable to external shocks and policy changes. Shifts in the demographic mix, with Latinos now a significant portion of the city's population, add to the sense that Allentown is not the same city it once was. Tuerk said the city's changes will intensify ahead of the next presidential cycle, and he warned that it will be an "interesting ride" for the community.

As the economy remains a central, even defining, issue for the midterms, Allentown's residents will decide whether the political energy directed at affordability translates into votes. The city's experiences — from rising prices to evolving demographics and a string of campaign visits — illustrate the broader challenge for both parties as they prepare to compete in a district that could determine control of the House next year.