Trump's Unfulfilled Rust Belt Renaissance Poses Risks for 2020
- Voters in key states adrift after backing president in 2016
- Economies in Michigan, Pennsylvania lagging behind U.S.
Trump gestures as he speaks during a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, on Aug. 2, 2018.
Photographer: Victor J. Blue/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Donald Trump landed in the White House by winning three Rust Belt states Democrats had carried in previous elections -- Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania -- and his re-election could hinge on whether he can hold them.
It won’t be easy. On the eve of the 2016 vote, Trump vowed at a raucous late-night rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, to bring transformative change. “Michigan stands at the crossroads of history,” he said. “If we win Michigan, we will win this historic election and then we will truly be able to do all of the things we want to do.”