I’ve fine-tuned my crystal ball and am ready to tell you what will probably happen in 2025.
In our area, I see Republicans, aided by activist Scott Presler, winning the governor’s office in New Jersey. I also see Republicans in Harrisburg passing their Protect Women’s Sports Act with some Democratic support. This act would prevent biological males at birth from competing in girls’ and women’s sports. I think Gov. Josh Shapiro will veto it, and that will cost him in his reelection bid in 2026 and when he runs for president in 2028. He will be in the same position Vice President Kamala Harris was on this issue during her 2024 presidential run.
Even more locally, Bucks County will continue to be the political center of the universe. In 2024, this was the ultimate swing county in the ultimate swing state. Scott Presler focused a large part of his efforts on turning the county Republican as far as registered voters were concerned, and President-elect Donald Trump ultimately won the county.
However, Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia first made national news by making it very difficult for voters to hand in their mail ballots at election centers before the election. As if to top that, she drew national headlines by voting to count ballots that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court had ruled invalid during the recount vote for the Senate seat between Dave McCormick and Bob Casey.
She declared, “I think we all know that precedent by a court doesn’t matter anymore in this country. People violate laws anytime they want. So for me, if I violate this law, it’s because I want a court to pay attention.”
People are paying attention now to local politics in Bucks County. Jim Worthington, owner of the gigantic Newtown Athletic Club and his chief aide Linda Mitchell, have started a PAC that will focus on the upcoming district attorney’s race in Bucks, school board elections, and the commissioners’ races. I predict this group will be a powerhouse.
Finally, in New Jersey watch the drone story to be a factor in the governor’s race. The federal government has been smug and dismissive about the concerns of New Jersey residents, and Gov. Phil Murphy has essentially been AWOL on this. People will not forget about it in the general election.
Nationally, I’m placing a lot of stock in what Bill O’Reilly recently told me on my radio show. O’Reilly speaks to President Trump regularly, and O’Reilly told me in the last several calls Trump drilled down on what it would take to be viewed as the greatest president in history. That is similar to what Trump talks about when he says he wants to usher in a “Golden Age” in America.
If Trump focuses on that vision instead any number of fights that are petty, he will be ranked as a substantial and possibly historic president. Doing things like reforming how Washington spends money and operates in general would be a major accomplishment. Reforming our food supply and health care system through a controlled RFK Jr. would be a legacy item if we minimize the overkill of processed foods and greatly diminish chronic diseases.
Closing the border and deporting criminals who are here illegally will be a big challenge, but the outcome will be historic and long remembered.
O’Reilly told me Trump is very serious about presidential greatness, but also can be emotional and get off track. When Trump begins implementing the reforms that Americans want, he will face all kinds of forces that strive to keep the status quo going.
However, Trump has always struck me as pretty lucky. He gets to follow Joe Biden’s presidency. Is there an easier act to follow?
