Kamala Harris has become “toxic” to Pennsylvania, the Keystone State’s top lawmaker says

FEASTERVILLE, Pa. – House Vice Chairman Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania told Fox News Digital on the sidelines of a campaign exchange with former President Donald Trump that Vice President Kamala Harris is “toxic” to the Keystone State.

Reschenthaler, who represents Pennsylvania's 14th Congressional District, campaigned with Trump across the state on Sunday.

“He’s fighting hard,” Trump said of Reschenthaler on Sunday afternoon. “He wants us to win.”

Trump made the comments about the congressman during his visit to a McDonald's in Feasterville, Pennsylvania, outside Philadelphia, where he traded in his signature suit jacket for an apron to learn how to make french fries and deliver them to customers from the drive-thru window delivered.

TRUMP MAKES FRIES AT MCDONALD'S IN PENNSYLVANIA: “I HAVE NOW WORKED 15 MINUTES LONGER THAN KAMALA”

Former President Donald Trump, right, with Rep. Guy Reschenthaler, R-Pa., left, at McDonald's in Pennsylvania.

The visit was intended to condemn Harris for her claim that she once worked for the fast food chain.

“It's important to highlight that Harris – and (Governor Tim) Walz too – has lied repeatedly throughout this campaign,” Reschenthaler told Fox News Digital on the sidelines of the visit. “And you have President Trump ready to take his opponent to task for his loose presentation of the facts.”

He added: “It just reminds voters again that Harris has misrepresented her past, and President Trump goes and connects with the people of Pennsylvania.”

The Harris campaign called the McDonald's visit a “staged photo op” and said Trump “doesn't understand what it's like to make a living” and said the vice president has “a track record of standing up for workers and himself.” to engage.” bad actors ripping people off and she will do the same thing as the president.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump waits in the drive-thru line as he visits a McDonald's restaurant in Feasterville-Trevose, Pennsylvania, on October 20, 2024. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Reschenthaler, who is up for re-election and hoping for a fourth term, says he feels “very good” about his own race and is now focused on helping Trump and other Republicans win in Pennsylvania.

The congressman pointed to new ads being aired in the state by incumbent Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., in his race against Republican Dave McCormick.

Casey's ad highlights how he “defended Biden” and “sided with Trump” to end NAFTA and impose tariffs on China to “stop them from cheating.” The ad highlights the Democratic senator as an “independent” and features a Republican wife and her Democratic husband. There is no mention of Vice President Harris.

“As soon as I saw the ad where he was trying to associate himself with Trump, I knew — you have to see what we see in terms of internal polls — that Trump was on the rise,” Reschenthaler said. “They know Trump has taken over and they know Harris has become toxic.”

“That’s the only reason a veteran Democratic senator like Casey would disavow Harris and try to align himself with Trump,” he continued. “He sees the numbers.”

Reschenthaler said he also thinks the ad shows that “there is a real chance that McCormick has a chance of beating Casey.”

“People will come out and vote for Trump and the Republicans, which will help us — not just in the Senate but in the battleground congressional districts,” he said.

Senator Bob Casey attends a campaign rally on October 17, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Getty Images)

Later Sunday, Reschenthaler visited Trump at a town hall hosted by Sage Steele in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and then attended the Pittsburgh Steelers' game against the New York Jets with the former president.

Reschenthaler told Fox News Digital that Pennsylvania is “such a critical state.”

“They don’t call us the Keystone State for nothing,” Reschenthaler said, predicting that whoever wins Pennsylvania “will probably win this election.”

“That’s why it’s so important for President Trump and the Republicans to put up big numbers here in Pennsylvania,” he said.

The chief deputy whip told Fox News Digital it is “critical” that Republicans gain traction in the suburbs of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia while also achieving turnout in more rural parts of the state. As for the most important issues for Pennsylvanians, Reschenthaler said voters will focus on the economy, jobs, inflation and energy, emphasizing the importance of the natural gas industry to the state.

'BLUE WALL' DEMOCRAT CONTINUES WITH TRUMP IN NEW PITCH TO VOTERS AHEAD OF THE ELECTION

Pennsylvania Rep. Guy Reschenthaler speaks with Fox News Digital during the NRA's Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. (Fox News Digital)

“And then there’s immigration, which is usually number 2 or 3 with voters,” he continued. “Everyone says, 'Yeah, but Pennsylvania isn't a border state,' but under Harris' reckless and dangerous far-left border policies, every state is now a border state.”

Reschenthaler said voters in his district, particularly in southwestern Pennsylvania, have “definitely seen a difference” since the Trump administration.

“They're struggling to afford food, gas, heating – just utilities in general,” he said, pointing out that “real wage growth is actually declining under Harris,” but recalling increasing wage growth under the Trump administration. Government, especially for minorities.

“That's another reason why President Trump does so well with minorities, because historically we've had difficulty reaching minorities for Republicans,” he said. “But not President Trump – he surpasses that.”

Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally on October 18, 2024 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images)

Harris has declined in approval among Latino and Black voters in the seven weeks between polls, according to a new USA Today/Suffolk University poll. The new poll found that Latino voters now support Trump 49 percent to 38 percent. Black voters prefer Harris by 72% to 17%, but that 55-point margin is significantly smaller than the advantage Democrats traditionally enjoy.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The Harris-Walz campaign did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.