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PINE GROVE MILLS -- Democratic candidates seeking state House seats in rural Pennsylvania joined party leaders Wednesday in Centre County for a roundtable discussion focused on affordability, health care, agriculture, data centers and other issues affecting rural communities.
U.S. Rep. Chris Deluzio, Lt. Gov. Austin Davis and Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chair Eugene DePasquale participated in the event at Ferguson Township Lions Club Park in Pine Grove Mills.
State House candidates Kimberly Kohlhepp, who is running in a district covering Clearfield and Elk counties; Caleb McCoy, Blair County; John Zangari, Centre and Mifflin counties; and Rick Telesz, Butler and Lawrence counties, also attended and discussed issues they said they are hearing about from voters.
Zangari highlighted opposition to proposed data center development as an issue that has brought together residents across political lines.
"I'm sitting across the aisle from people who would be considered far right leaning conservatives, and we're sitting in the same fight, saying we don't want this data center here because it's going to destroy our environment," Zangari said. "We don't want it because it's going to harm our ecosystem. We don't want it because it's going to raise our prices."
Zangari said data centers have provided an opportunity to find common ground with voters who might otherwise have different political views.
"When we talk about speaking to rural Pennsylvanians, how do you reach across the aisle? Data centers have been one of the biggest door openers," he said.
Kohlhepp focused on access to rural health care, pointing to the loss of labor and delivery services in Elk County. She said the closure has forced some women to travel farther for maternity care and cited instances in which women have given birth before reaching a hospital.
McCoy centered his remarks on affordability and economic opportunities for working-class Pennsylvanians.
"There is a huge opportunity for us in Pennsylvania to make a better life for working class people," McCoy said. "We could make life better, easier, and more affordable for everyday people with just a little bit of change."
Telesz discussed challenges facing family farms, including property taxes and the difficulty of generating enough income to sustain agricultural operations.
"Agriculture is a big part of Pennsylvania's economy, and there are thousands of small family farms," Telesz said. "And family farms are becoming extinct."
Deluzio discussed economic concerns among younger generations and argued Democrats should focus on improving economic opportunities.
"If you are my age or younger, we are the first Americans since the Second World War who, the data says, you don't expect to be better off than your parents," Deluzio said. "That didn't just happen with Donald Trump. That is a failure across decades, and we should own restoring the American dream as Democrats."
Davis focused his remarks on the upcoming election, encouraging those attending to campaign for Democratic candidates in rural districts.
"We have 83 days until election day, and so I'm here to ask you to lean in a little further, to knock on a few more doors, to organize for those candidates who are running in rural seats and seats that might be a little tougher," Davis said.
DePasquale also emphasized the party's efforts to compete in rural communities, saying success in those areas would be important to Democratic candidates at both the state and national levels.
The picnic and roundtable were organized as an opportunity for Democratic candidates and party leaders to discuss the party's priorities in rural Pennsylvania ahead of the November election.