Nanticoke, PA

Nanticoke, Pennsylvania, leans reliably Republican, with a Cook Partisan Voting Index (PVI) of R+4, meaning it votes about four points more Republican than the national average. This is a noticeable shift from the surrounding state of Pennsylvania, which sits at a PVI of EVEN, reflecting its status as a true battleground. Over the last decade, Nanticoke has trended rightward, mirroring the broader movement of Luzerne County’s working-class towns away from their old Democratic roots, though it hasn’t swung as hard as some neighbors like Hazleton or Berwick.

How it compares

Nanticoke’s R+4 lean puts it to the right of Pennsylvania as a whole, but it’s not an outlier in northeastern Pennsylvania. Nearby Wilkes-Barre, just a few miles north, is more competitive, with a PVI around D+1, while Scranton leans D+5. In contrast, rural towns like Dallas and Shavertown are solidly R+10 or higher. The real story is the trajectory: Luzerne County, which includes Nanticoke, voted for Obama in 2008 and 2012, then flipped hard for Trump in 2016 and 2020. That shift is baked into Nanticoke’s current R+4 rating, and it’s not likely to reverse soon. The area’s voters are predominantly white, older, and working-class, with a strong union history that’s increasingly at odds with the national Democratic Party’s cultural and environmental stances.

What this means for residents

For conservative residents, Nanticoke feels like a natural fit. Local elections are dominated by Republicans, and the county council and school board tend to reflect that majority. You’ll see more Trump flags than Biden signs in yards, and the local gun culture is strong, with few restrictions beyond state law. For liberal residents, it’s a different story. They’re a clear minority, and while they’re not ostracized, they often feel their views are sidelined in local decision-making. That said, the city itself is small enough that most people know each other, and political disagreements rarely get heated in day-to-day life. The bigger tension is between Nanticoke’s blue-collar identity and the state’s urban-driven policies from Harrisburg and Philadelphia, which many locals see as out of touch.

Culturally, Nanticoke is distinct from Pennsylvania’s more liberal hubs. The area is heavily Catholic and Polish-Lithuanian, with a strong sense of community rooted in the old coal-mining days. There’s less emphasis on the kind of progressive social policies you’d find in Philadelphia or Pittsburgh, and more focus on practical issues like property taxes, road maintenance, and keeping the local hospital open. The city’s R+4 lean means that statewide ballot measures on things like marijuana legalization or minimum wage hikes often split the vote here, but local officials tend to take a cautious, status-quo approach. If you’re moving from a deep-blue area, you’ll notice the difference in how people talk about politics—it’s less ideological, more about what works for the neighborhood. For conservatives, it’s a comfortable place to live without feeling like you’re in a political bubble. For liberals, it’s a reminder that Pennsylvania is a lot more than its big cities, and that living in a red-leaning town can be a quiet, neighborly experience if you keep the national noise at arm’s length.