In an intriguing twist of political nostalgia, a recent Marist College poll found that former President Donald Trump is leading current President Joe Biden among Pennsylvania voters. The poll, which surveyed 1,277 Pennsylvania adults between June 3-6, shows Trump ahead with 47% support from registered voters, compared to Biden's 45%. Clearly, Pennsylvanians are flirting with the idea of giving former presidents a second shot, possibly as a one-term mulligan.

Adding a smidge of chaos to this two-horse race, independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. managed to snag 3% support, while Green Party candidate Jill Stein and independent Cornel West each drew 1% (NY Post). For those keeping score at home, that's 5% of voters who are still living in politically diverse fantasies.

The numbers showing Trump leading Biden 48% to 46% among those definitely voting on November 5 suggest that Pennsylvanians may be leaning towards past presidential experiences, maybe hoping history repeats itself in more ways than one. Among self-described independents, Trump holds a slight edge over Biden, 42% to 40%, and leads among voters under 35 years old, albeit by a razor-thin margin of 46% to 45% (Fox).

Nevertheless, the landscape is not all rosy for Trump. He has only 23% support among Black voters compared to Biden's 68%. It seems the former president's charm hasn't quite won over Hugh Grant-level approval among Pennsylvania's Black community (NY Post).

Reflecting on the political tides of the last decade, Biden's 2020 victory in Pennsylvania—with a margin of 80,000 votes—reversed Trump's 2016 win by 44,000 votes. It's almost as if Pennsylvania voters are taking turns playing an elaborate game of political musical chairs (Fox).

A telling statistic from the recent Marist poll reveals that a clear majority of Pennsylvania registered voters (53%) believe they were better off during Trump's presidency than Biden's. Ah, nostalgia—it's a powerful aphrodisiac, even in politics. It's worth noting, however, that nostalgia isn’t the same as deliberately waxing lyrical about simpler times when HDTVs weighed as much as a refrigerator.

Key issues for Pennsylvania registered voters include "preserving democracy" (31%), inflation (30%), immigration (17%), and abortion (10%) (NY Post). These concerns make one wonder if Pennsylvanians are pining for a simpler era or simply exasperated by the current state of, well, everything.

Both the Trump and Biden campaigns are spending significant time and resources in Pennsylvania, recognizing its status as a battleground state. Trump recently opened his first campaign office in Philadelphia, while Biden's re-election campaign, DNC, and Pennsylvania Democrats boast 24 coordinated offices with hundreds of staffers across the state. Clearly, Pennsylvania has become the political equivalent of the last available red table at a Michelin-star restaurant.

Interestingly, 16.6% of GOP primary voters in Pennsylvania supported former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, who later endorsed Trump. Meanwhile, a significant 39% of voters—20% of 2020 Trump voters and 19% Biden's—say they might change their minds before the 2024 election. A nail-biting twist indeed, proving that predicting the future isn't any easier than herding cats while blindfolded.

Trump's support among voters under 45 years old has surged while Biden's lead among this group has dwindled to just two points (Fox). Conversely, Trump's advantage among older voters (45 and above) has decreased, with only a 3 percentage point difference between him (48%) and Biden (45%) (NY Post). It appears that everyone is unenthused, perhaps as much about their birthday as their ballot as each tick of the clock turns another year on their voting eligibility.

In summary, Trump's echoes of his presidency seem to resonate with Pennsylvania voters, a significant portion of whom fondly (or perhaps more accurately, selectively) recall the "good ol' days." Whether this sense of political nostalgia will carry him to victory remains to be seen. Pennsylvanians are poised to revisit their past choices with a glance of wistfulness, possibly to swipe right once more on their political "ex." After all, who wouldn't give a one-term president a second chance just for a bit of suspenseful entertainment?