**G.O.P. Targets White Catholic Voters in Pennsylvania with JD Vance**

With the crucial Election Day looming, the Republican Party is focusing its efforts on white Catholic voters in Pennsylvania, recognizing their potential to swing the results in this pivotal battleground state.

Mt. Lebanon, known locally as "Lebo," is a predominantly Catholic neighborhood in Pittsburgh. Colleen Oxenreiter’s living room recently became the center of political activity, as thirty-six local Catholics gathered to brainstorm outreach strategies. Her home, adorned with a large Trump sign amidst her pumpkins, was a testament to her political allegiance.

The group's mission was clear: engage Catholic Republicans who abstained from voting in 2020 through a campaign involving postcards and video text messages. They believe that mobilizing these voters could be key to flipping Pennsylvania back to the GOP camp and securing the presidency.

JD Vance, the Republican vice-presidential nominee, serves as a significant motivational figure for this group. Vance, aged 40, is the only Catholic on either national ticket in the upcoming election. His profile as a convert to Catholicism, an economic populist, and a staunch social conservative has struck a chord with many white conservative Catholics.

White Catholics traditionally lean Republican, but in the 2020 election, Joe Biden, a Pennsylvania-born Catholic, managed to leverage his cultural connections to considerably narrow the partisan divide, ultimately clinching the state. In 2024, Vance’s candidacy offers the GOP a renewed hope of recapturing these crucial votes in Pennsylvania. His positions on education, transgender rights, the economy, and abortion resonate deeply with these voters, making them a critical demographic for the upcoming election.