BBC World News broadcasts from Scranton ahead of midterms

Oct. 31—SCRANTON — Ahead of next week's midterm elections, BBC World News America anchor Laura Trevelyan asked Scranton's mayor Monday why the city is often referred to as the center of the political universe.

Broadcasting from the fifth floor of the University of Scranton's Brennan Hall, overlooking the city, Trevelyan interviewed Mayor Paige Gebhardt Cognetti and others who gave international and domestic viewers perspective from and about President Joe Biden's hometown in this key battleground state.

"It's the center of where there are so many voters that people come to talk to, and people here really think about their vote," Cognetti said of Scranton. "They look for people to tell them authentically what they're going to do for them, and I think one reason that Pennsylvania is a swing state is that the voters here are really looking for those candidates to be honest with them."

Those voters will flock to the polls Nov. 8, in an election that will determine the state's next governor and the balance of power in Congress. It's of considerable interest to audiences abroad, Trevelyan said.

"And after the 2020 election and all of the drama that there was after the results, yeah, there is a lot of interest, because if Democrats lose control of their narrow majorities then, of course, President Biden's ability to get his agenda through becomes much reduced," she told The Times-Tribune.

"The significance of the midterm elections, the continuing influence of President Donald Trump on his party, all of these things are closely followed by our audiences," she continued. "And, by coming here to Scranton in this swing state of Pennsylvania, it's a way to explore all of these big things."

Trevelyan asked Lackawanna County Republican Party Chairman Dan Naylor about the 2020 election.

"Pennsylvania is a state that Donald Trump narrowly lost to Joe Biden and there are a number of Republican officials running for statewide office who say the election was stolen, including your candidate for governor, Doug Mastriano," she said. "Is that also hurting you because voters just want to move on?"

Naylor said the 2020 election is over and he believes the majority of voters do want to move on.

"We need to make sure that when we adopt policies going forward that we address any of those issues that are concerns, but we can't go back to 2020," he said. "Let's move forward."

Others Trevelyan interviewed Monday included Times-Tribune columnist Chris Kelly; Pennsylvania Paper & Supply Co. President Douglas Fink; Pennsylvania Democratic Party political director Shavonnia Corbin-Johnson; and University of Scranton political science professor Jean Harris, Ph.D.

Trevelyan also did reporting in Scranton over the weekend, interviewing spectators at a Lackawanna College Falcons football game. There, fans discussed the impact of inflation, rising rent and grocery prices and access to abortion services — all issues likely to motivate voters.

The anchor spoke Saturday with Backyard Ale House head chef James Bodnar, who hasn't decided how he'll vote next week. Bodnar, who voted for Trump in 2016 and Biden in 2020, is the kind of "elusive" swing voter BBC World News hoped to find in Scranton, Trevelyan said Monday.

Reached Monday, Bodnar confirmed he's still undecided but identified the economy and inflation as issues most likely to impact who he votes for Nov. 8.

"For me, it's crazy to see ... some of my coworkers have to pick up a second job just to be able to survive," he said. "That's a huge issue for me. I feel like everybody should have a livable wage."

Contact the writer: jhorvath@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9141; @jhorvathTT on Twitter.