As the race for Pennsylvania intensifies, Republicans are working hard to secure a key but often overlooked voting bloc: the Amish. The GOP believes that mobilizing the traditionally conservative Amish community could be pivotal in delivering Pennsylvania’s electoral votes to Donald Trump.
Scott Presler, a well-known conservative activist, is at the forefront of the effort to increase Amish voter turnout. Presler is targeting the 87,000 Amish residents in Pennsylvania, many of whom reside in Lancaster County, the largest Amish community in the country. “The Amish, if they are mobilized, could literally save Western civilization,” Presler said, underscoring the importance of this voting bloc in 2024.
Presler has found success in promoting mail-in voting as a practical option for the Amish, who often prefer to avoid public participation in politics. “They love the idea of mail-in ballots,” Presler explained, noting that it allows them to vote without traveling to polling stations or facing potential community stigma.
In addition to mail-in voting, Presler is highlighting issues that resonate with the Amish community, particularly government interference in farming. Earlier this year, an Amish farmer in Lancaster County had his farm raided for selling raw milk products without proper permits. The case attracted national attention from conservative figures like Donald Trump Jr., who defended the Amish farmer’s right to sell raw milk.
The effort to mobilize Amish voters is part of a larger Republican strategy in Pennsylvania, a critical swing state. In 2020, only 3,000 Amish voters turned out in Lancaster County, but Presler’s team, through his PAC Early Vote Action, is working hard to increase that number this year.
As Republicans make gains in voter registration, including flipping Luzerne County from Democratic to Republican, Presler’s efforts to engage the Amish could be a deciding factor in the 2024 election.
