Winning Pennsylvania is key, and for Democrats Kamala Harris is a mixed blessing

Pennsylvania's Muslim community are voters in a critical swing state, meaning Gaza is a foreign policy issue with the potential for a domestic consequence, as ITV News' International Editor Emma Murphy reports

Kamala Harris may look with hope to the future but it is her past that may yet put paid to her hopes to be America’s first black female president.

Over the past week, we have toured Pennsylvania speaking with those whose votes have the power to determine the outcome of November’s election.

With 20 electoral college votes, it is a key swing state. Trump won it by 0.72% in 2016, Biden by 1.17% in 2020 - a difference of just over 74,000 votes.

For many, especially black women, there is a sense her name on the ballot would reinvigorate this campaign.

Within just a few hours on Sunday night, 44,000 women joined a Zoom call and raised $1.5 million for her campaign.

Four years ago only 90 people engaged in a similar call.

With Harris replacing Biden they are the kind of voters the Democrats can rely on.

However, the fight in Pennsylvania is for the undecided voters and both parties are fighting hard for them.

Over and over this week, speaking with potential voters, many in the black community, we have been reminded of Harris’ time as a prosecutor in California.

There she had a reputation for enforcing legislation which resulted in a disproportionate number of black men being jailed for relatively minor crimes.

It may be many years ago but there is still a judgement and wariness which could cost crucial votes.

And then there are her more recent endeavours as vice president in an administration which has supported Israel in the war in Gaza.

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Pennsylvania has a high Arab and Muslim population, many young and politically engaged.

They do not want their vote to be associated with financial and military support for Israel.

They see Gaza as the issue which will turn them away from the Democrats.

They won’t turn to Trump but they may deliver the kind of blow they hit the Democrats with in the mid-terms and choose to mark the “none of the above” box or go for a third-party candidate.

When the margins are so tight and the state so critical every single choice like that takes a vote from the Democrats.

They are not votes they can afford to lose.

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