EXCLUSIVE: A majority of county sheriffs in the battleground state of Pennsylvania endorsed former President Trump on Thursday, saying they have “confidence in his leadership and ability to safeguard our country.”
Fox News Digital obtained a letter signed by 49 of the state's 67 county sheriffs, who said Trump is the best candidate to support law enforcement and secure the border.
“As elected law enforcement officers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, we constantly hear two messages from our constituents and neighbors: that they want safe communities for their families and children, and that they oppose radical agendas of defunding the police by part of career politicians. they wrote.
“That's why we proudly support President Donald J. Trump and wholeheartedly support his candidacy for president of the United States.”
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Former President Trump gestures at a campaign rally at the Findlay Toyota Arena on Sunday, October 13, 2024 in Prescott Valley, Arizona. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
County sheriffs said that “even before” Trump was running for office, “he stood shoulder to shoulder with police and law enforcement.”
“He is the only candidate who has supported and continues to support law and order, law enforcement, and our duty to serve our communities and keep them safe,” they wrote. “This is most evident on our southern border.”
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County sheriffs noted the unprecedented flow of illegal immigrants across the US southern border under the Biden-Harris administration and emphasized that “immigration is not just a border state issue.”
County sheriffs pointed to the Trump administration, where they said the United States had “a secure border and adequate enforcement of our immigration laws.”
“World leaders respected President Trump and border crossings decreased,” they wrote. “Without your strong leadership, our border has been opened, open to thousands of people crossing the border each day and unimaginable quantities of deadly drugs like fentanyl and methamphetamine that are flowing directly into Pennsylvania communities, bringing crime and devastation to countless families”.
County sheriffs said Trump “understands that we cannot have a country that functions without borders.”
Former President Trump addresses the crowd at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, October 5, 2024. (Matthew McDermott for Fox News Digital)
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“He understands the destruction that an open border has brought to our country, our community, and our communities,” they continued. “He understands the critical role law enforcement plays in maintaining security, stability, law and order. And that is why we have confidence in his leadership and his ability to safeguard our country.”
They added: “We know President Trump endorses blue and we are proud to endorse him as the 47th president of the United States of America.”
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Counties represented by Trump-supporting sheriffs include Adams, Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Bradford, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Cameron, Carbon, Clarion, Clearfield, Crawford, Cumberland, Dauphin, Elk, Fayette, Forest , Franklin. , Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Montour, Northumerland, Perry, Potter, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland and York.
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According to Thursday's Fox News Power Rankings, the race in Pennsylvania between Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris is a toss-up.
In September, the Harris-Walz campaign touted endorsements from 101 law enforcement officials of various ranks in states across the country.
