‘Not American’: Rural and urban voters in crucial battleground state alarmed by violent political rhetoric

During a swing through Central Pennsylvania, Fox News Digital spoke with several voters in urban and rural areas, and got their take on the effects of charged political rhetoric among other topics.

In Wakefield, the rural community just north of the Maryland line, Marsha Peterson co-owns Peterson’s Grocery Outlet with her husband.

Asked about the level of political rhetoric, Peterson said the left has spent years on a drumbeat of telling Americans former President Trump “is a danger and he must be stopped.”

“Then, you see people on social media laughing and saying they wouldn’t have missed [shooting] him,” she said. “They want words to matter – but only the right’s words.” 

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Closer to home, Peterson said the affordability crisis has been a major issue for both her and her customers.

“We run a little mom-and-pop little grocery store, and we absolutely see the difference in price increases from one administration to the next, even with COVID [considerations], things were not this high,” she said.

Outside a large flea market off US-222, Eric Beezer said the issues at hand have driven him to run for state office in Lancaster City.

The Republican said he originally was facing off with 34-year incumbent State Rep. Mike Sturla, but noted the senior Democrat suddenly withdrew from the race in August. 

He said he hopes his top issues of affordability, housing and keeping taxes low will resonate with voters in the otherwise heavily-Democratic stronghold.

“Lancaster’s issues are the same as most of the country,” Beezer said.

Sam and Kate Mylin of Willow Street, Pa. offered their take while visiting Quarryville, saying the negativity in politics has to stop.

“Especially people and politicians saying [Trump] is a threat and he needs to be taken out and stuff like that,” said Sam, a retired artist. “That’s is wrong. That’s just totally wrong. That’s not American.”

Meanwhile, Kate Mylin questioned the veracity of claims inflation is going down. She noted disparities in costs as of late.

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“Gas goes down. But then your eggs are $5 for a dozen? Give me a break.”

Sam Mylin added he wants to hear the truth from politicians as to whether our troops truly are not at war.

“We have more wars right now than we ever had. And supposedly the troops aren’t in a combat zone, but I see that they are. And it’s all lies, man. It is. It’s all lies coming from the left. And it’s really dishonest itself,” he said.

“The other thing is the affordability of housing for people is ridiculous. So something’s got to change,” he added, noting he and his wife are supporting Trump.

Tim Gochenaur and Michelle Williams of rural Christiana traveled west into East Drumore Township to visit the Solanco fairgrounds.

Both believed political rhetoric played a part in Trump being targeted twice for assassination.

“They’re inciting these people,” Gochenaur said. “Somebody might be off a little bit to start with and that pushes them in that directions.”

 Asked about electoral fairness, Williams said the tabulations will be “as fair as they allow it to be – the system should be fair.”

“The way that the laws are put in place, it’s meant for integrity. And that’s a founding principle of our of our country — for there to be an appropriate and proper vote. But if that is not carried out, then it will not be a fair election.”

On the other end of Harrisburg Pike, in the namesake capital city, a man who goes by “Minister Fifty” spoke out while waiting for a bus by the Hilton hotel downtown.

“Is that a rhetorical question?” Minister Fifty responded when asked about political rhetoric inciting malign behavior.

“Common sense tells us, of course, it’s having an effect – any type of unsavory communication is never going to be helpful,” he said.

“So when we resort to things other than the issues and then we get animated in a dark way toward other people or non-issues, then things get clouded and things get deflected and then we lose sight of what the true goal is.”

“We also have an opportunity to show the world and everyone else that America is built on decency…” Minister Fifty countered.

He added he believes the election will indeed be fair, calling the national structure “too big to fail.”

Lisa, of Harrisburg, said she is a proud “Black lady for Donald J. Trump,” in her words, said that when it comes to political rhetoric, it is important to “maintain a blessed attitude” and remember “the golden rule – do unto others as they would do unto you.”

“Both sides can really use just more tolerance towards the other side,” said Lisa, who declined to appear on camera but agreed to have her comments recorded audially.

“I’m rooting for the best candidate to win,” she said.

Pam Hower, a former Republican who was out enjoying a twilight trip along the Susquehanna River trail, said she became disaffected with the GOP over its “crazy rhetoric” but added there may be something to be said on that front on both sides.

She said Trump has “hurt a lot of people” with claims of migrants eating pets in Ohio, and – as a person with a disability – was horrified at a situation from Trump’s first bid wherein he was accused of mocking a New York Times reporter who suffered from a congenital skeletal condition.

Trump, however, denied the claim, saying he didn’t know of Serge Kovaleski’s disability, and only effected his “groveling” manner in the situation he had been describing.

Hower said disability issues as well as Medicare and Medicaid solvency are key to her vote.

She added that while she has gone hunting with family members and grew up around legal firearms, she disagrees with the availability of semiautomatic rifles given the amount of school and public shootings in recent years.

“My daughter is a speech therapist in an elementary school. I’m terrified for her. And I know that that has an impact on the way she thinks going into the schools. And I don’t want her to have to be afraid every day,” she said.

“I don’t have a problem with guns because I grew up with them. I have a problem with assault rifles. I have a problem with access to them,” she said.

When asked about the housing crisis, Hower said one aspect of it is being missed by the media and the candidates. As a person with a disability, only about 5% of new housing is required to be wheelchair accessible, she said.

“So we are in a critical stage of lack of housing in this country. In Pennsylvania, it’s really terrible. But across the country for people with disabilities [as well].”

“I’m hoping for Kamala. I’m doing everything I can because [Trump] scares the heck out of me,” she said.

Rudolph of Harrisburg said virulent political rhetoric is “typical.”

“I think each year that the antics get dirtier. And so what are we fighting for? And I really don’t understand the whole process because everybody knows — the smart people know anyway — that the popular vote don’t elect the president. It’s the electoral college,” he said.

As for some of the threats on Trump, Rudolph suggested some aspects may have been “staged” because the Republican is a “good marketer.”

However, Rudolph also praised some of Trump’s work in his first term:

“He made us stand up to China. And so he has some good ideas. But his rhetoric is causing division among the people. And that’s not a good thing because, you know, I’ve got White friends. I got Black friends, I got Green friends, I mean,” he riffed.

“Nobody is going to trust anybody,” he said.

“I’m going [with] the Democratic ticket. It is the lesser of two evils.”

Fox News Digital’s Matteo Cina contributed to this report.