What's the Political Mood in Hazleton?

Shops along downtown Hazleton’s North Wyoming Street were busy with Latin music and Spanish chatter on the first chilly autumnal weekend on a Saturday earlier this month. The customers in salons, restaurants, and other stores in this majority-Hispanic city weren’t particularly enthusiastic, however, about the upcoming midterm elections.

Hazleton is part of the 8th Congressional District in northeastern Pennsylvania, which encompasses portions of five counties. Republicans won all five statewide races for the first time in almost two decades in 2024. The district also flipped as Republican Rob Bresnahan ousted incumbent U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright, who took over the new district after the 2020 map redrawing. In the case of Hazleton, Trump won every ward in a city now comprised mainly of Dominican immigrants and Dominican-American transplants from metro New York. 

Wilfredo Soto runs Willy’s Barber Shop, which was quieter in the early afternoon. He said he voted for President Donald Trump in 2024 but wasn’t completely satisfied with his decision. He said that his business has been “very, very slow” since Trump retook office. He expressed a concern shared by many of his neighbors.

Angie Chapman has lived in town for more than 20 years and runs Angie’s Immigration and Tax Solutions on North Wyoming Street. She told RealClearPennsylvania that lots of residents have at least one undocumented immigrant in their families or friend groups. Many are concerned about the controversial arrests and prolonged detainments that have many living in fear.

“I tell the guys every day, “You know your situation that you have now,”” she said. “If you go to work, go to work and come back to your home. If you go to stores to buy food or clothes or whatever you need, go back to your home. You don’t have to be in the street but don’t be afraid to do everything you need.”

Storefronts along North Wyoming Street were full on some blocks and emptier on others. Chapman said the street occupancy has gone up on the downtown corridor over the past few years.

At Zacosayu Tacos, Natalie Gomez from nearby Tamaqua took orders for customers. She told RealClearPennsylvania that she voted in 2018 and 2020 while living in Florida but not in 2024. This year, she said she is motivated to vote and will be supporting the Democrats.

“I would say because I’ve seen the difference in people not voting,” she said. “I feel that the population that the state has is large enough but you see the missing pieces when you see the voting counts.”

Hazleton saw a 25-point shift towards Trump and Republicans in the 2024 general election. His nine-point margin of victory in the district matched his advantage in 2016, when he was the only Republican to win the five statewide races. 

Marilyn Calderon lived in Hazleton for three years before moving to Freeland, where she served on the borough council as a Democrat for years. She said Democrats have earned the support of younger voters in the area. However, that support is not translating to turnout. 

“Here the Democrats have the numbers but the Republicans have the super voters,” she said. “We need to create a system that young people can understand how important it is to vote. They register when they [get] their driver’s license but they don’t get out to vote. If you have the numbers and the action, you win. If you have the numbers but not the action, you don’t win.” 

Calderon expressed concerns that the Democrats were using the same unsuccessful playbook from 2024 for the midterms. She’s also frustrated by efforts on voter turnout focused in places like Scranton at the expense of smaller towns and rural areas. 

“My party has to change,” she said. “We have to focus on the super voters, the young votes, we have to educate them … A simple strategy. If this is not working in 2024, why are we repeat it?” 

Calderon said she was especially exasperated with the amount of text messages she receives from campaigns, a more popular tool in an era where people can decline calls from phone banks and hide in their homes from door knockers.

Calderon did say that she thinks some folks who voted for Trump have buyers’ remorse.

“Many teachers, many non-profit organizations, many people from pantries that was helping people and [voted] Republican now say, “What do I have to do?” she said. “You voted for him. What you have to say, “I don’t want to change because I believe in the Republican party but I don’t want for him.” What do you have to do? Vote for the other ones. You don’t have to change [parties].”   

Chapman said she voted for Trump in 2024 and still supports him. She also said she has been talking to her clients and persuading those who plan to vote to support Bresnahan. 

“He’s keeping the [campaign] promises that he made,” Chapman said of the president. “The economy is a little bit affected now because of the war in Iran. I think he’s keeping the promise, a little bit complaint for the economy.”

“He’s doing great,” Chapman said of Bresnahan, even agreeing that she thinks the ads attacking him are false and unfair. “He’s fighting for the less taxes of city, less taxes on federal.”

Marco Cerino is a reporter based in Philadelphia.