The first time I saw Donald Trump in person was at the Cleveland debate in 2015 when he mocked Rosie O’Donnell as a “fat pig,” “dog,” “slob,” and a “disgusting animal” following a question from Megyn Kelly. I then stood at the Capitol and watched him take the presidential oath 18 months later.

Trump is obviously one of the most unique figures to ever lead the country, and I had only seen Trump one other time — when he spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). But I had never attended one of his signature rallies, characterized by NBC as “a key fixture of America’s political landscape for nearly a decade,” with more than 900 such events since the notorious golden escalator ride at Trump Tower. While browsing his events page Sunday night, I saw he was going to speak at a Pittsburgh stadium three hours from my home in Columbus, Ohio. Trump said in September he will not run again if he loses, so the rally was my last chance to hear him as a candidate.

I went to Pennsylvania less as a reporter and more as a spectator. With just hours to go until polls close, no one needs another column on how Trump says “X” about “Y” at another swing-state event, and I didn’t even bother with a press pass. Mystifying politicians is obnoxious and lame, but there’s an element of historical significance to Trump’s rallies worth acknowledging. After all, his crowd sizes were arguably one

Election Day is not going smoothly in Cambria County, Pennsylvania. The morning started with the Republican National Committee (RNC) naming Cambria as one of the counties that blocked Republican poll observers from entering polling places. It was resolved with RNC intervention.

And before the first brew of coffee was cold, there were reports of voting machines not scanning ballots.

The Cambria County Board of Commissioners, which is also the Board of Elections, released a statement confirming a software malfunction in the county’s electronic voting system was preventing voters from scanning their ballots.

The polls normally close at 8 p.m. EST on Election Day, but the board sought a court order to keep polls open longer, which was approved by the Cambria Court of Common Pleas. Polls will be open until 10 p.m. in Cambria County, but ballots cast after 8 p.m. will be cast as provisional ballots.

The Pennsylvania state and Cambria County Republican and Democrat parties joined the board of commissioners in the court request.

The county board of elections said people can still cast their vote.

“This should not discourage voters from voting at their voting precincts,” a statement from the board said. “No one should be turned away from the polls if they wish to cast their vote.”

From Johnstown, PA. All the flash drives on the ballot counting machines need to be replaced in Cambria county. They’re not counting the votes. Source Dave Luciew: pic.twitter.com/bdxOkqpaaw

— John Luciew (@JohnLuciew) November 5, 2024

The

The Republican National Committee (RNC) reported in a statement that four court-appointed Republican poll watchers were either blocked from entering or kicked out of several Philadelphia polling places Tuesday morning.

Republican poll observers were also turned away from York, Westmoreland, Allegheny, Lehigh, Cambria, Wyoming, and Lackawanna counties, RNC Chairman Michael Whatley reported on social media.

PENNSYLVANIA ELECTION INTEGRITY:

Early this morning we learned that Republican poll watchers in Philadelphia, York, Westmoreland, Allegheny, Lehigh, Cambria, Wyoming, and Lackawanna Counties were being turned away.

We deployed our roving attorneys, engaged with local officials,…

— Michael Whatley (@ChairmanWhatley) November 5, 2024

“We deployed our roving attorneys, engaged with local officials, and can now report that all Republican poll watchers have been let into the building,” Whatley said.   

In Philadelphia, RNC attorneys connected with Democrat District Attorney Larry Krasner, and officials were contacted in the other counties, an RNC official said on background.

“There is a history of this happening in Philadelphia, specifically because it’s such a Democrat area,” the RNC official said.

“This is a crime, and should not happen in a fair and secure election,” the RNC said in a statement. “Refusing to allow Republicans in the room threatens the integrity and security of Pennsylvania’s elections.”

As the Federalist reported in 2020, Democrat poll watchers outnumbered Republican poll watchers in Philadelphia. When ballots were counted at the Philadelphia Convention Center, Republican observers were either kept out, or allowed inside but kept too far away from the counting to see what was happening.