Western Pennsylvania may once again be the center of the political universe this Labor Day. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are expected to return to the area for the holiday.
The visit will mark the first time Biden and Harris will appear at a campaign event together since Harris became the Democratic Party's nominee. But it is far from Biden's first holiday appearance here: He's attended Labor Day events in Pittsburgh four times over the past 15 years, most recently in 2022. (He also launched his 2020 presidential bid at a Teamsters union hall.)
The White House has released few details about the visit Tuesday, but winning Pennsylvania, and union voters everywhere, are keys to Democrats’ path to the presidency this fall.
Darrin Kelly, president of the Allegheny-Fayette Central Labor Council, said in a statement that union members were looking forward to the visit, and that "this will truly be a Labor Day to remember."
“This is the biggest Labor Day Parade in the country, in the city where President Biden first launched his campaign,” wrote Kelly, the region’s top labor official. “It is fitting that he and Vice President Harris will be back here with us, on our day, as we celebrate all that their administration has accomplished for working families and commit ourselves to the final months of the fight to elect Kamala Harris so we can keep moving forward together.”
On Monday, Harris will visit Detroit ahead of the stop in Pittsburgh. Her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is expected to spend Labor Day in Milwaukee. Douglas Emhoff, the second gentleman, will appear at an event in Virginia and won’t join Harris.
The trip will come three days after former President Donald Trump is expected in Johnstown on Aug. 30. Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, is set to visit Erie on Wednesday.
