Presidential Campaign Stops Costly For Bucks County

BUCKS COUNTY, PA —Vice President Kamala Harris was hot on the campaign trail, trying to drum up voter support after replacing President Joe Biden on the Democratic ticket.

On Sept. 22, Harris's husband Douglas Emhoff appeared in Bucks County, making a stop at the Lower Makefield Township Community Center for a campaign event.

Harris and now-again President Donald Trump and their Democratic and Republican party representatives made several stops in Bucks County during the presidential campaign for the White House in a battle for the key state of Pennsylvania in the November general election.

But while the price for voter support at the polls tipped in Trump's favor in his winning Bucks County and Pennsylvania, the cost to provide protection and security coverage for those campaign stops didn't come cheap.

Lower Makefield billed the Harris-Walz campaign nearly $8,000 for her campaign event, Township Manager David Kratzer Jr. told Patch.

Kratzer said the cost breakdown was $6,175 for police services and $1,820 for use of the community center and its staff. The township was reimbursed.

Kratzer said that nothing was billed for any mutual aid support that may have been provided in other jurisdictions and/or for motorcade support for any event held in another jurisdiction.

In mid-October, Vice President Kamala Harris brought her campaign to the banks of the Delaware River.

She stood on the same ground where George Washington launched his daring crossing of the Delaware River in 1776, and below a banner proclaiming “Country Before Party,” the Vice President addressed a gathering of more than 100 Republican leaders and voters from across the state and nation who are supporting her campaign for president.

Now Vice President JD Vance appeared twice at the Newtown Athletic Club during the campaign. Trump also appeared there as well for a private affair.

Trump made arguably the biggest campaign stop among the two candidates, showing up to take a shift at the McDonald's on Street Road in Feasterville-Trevose in late October.

He worked the drive-through window, waved to people, handled the French Fry station, and served several customers.

But Trump's appearance was crazed with supporters lining Street Road for hours and numerous law enforcement agencies keeping traffic clear and the scene safe. Meanwhile, car horns blared constantly.

The Feasterville Fire Company hosted Trump with the Secret Service and Homeland Security at the McDonald's at 334 E. Street Rd. on Sunday afternoon.

Fire officials thanked the Lower Southampton Township Fire Department, Tri-Hampton Rescue Squad, Bensalem Volunteer Fire Department, Southampton Fire Department, and the Warminster Fire Department, along with Bucks County Hazmat and all mutual police like Lower Southampton and Bensalem townships for providing protection.

Trump's visit cost taxpayers more than $11,000 in overtime-related costs, according to Right To Know requests obtained by the Bucks County Courier Times.

The same visit also cost taxpayers in eight other Bucks County towns about $600 to more than $7,400 in police overtime to assist the U.S. Secret Service and local police at the event, the Courier reported.

Bensalem, Bucks County's largest police department, provided coverage at the Trump event.

Sgt. Glenn Vandegrift told Patch that he did not have any information on presidential campaign costs and that Bensalem did not have any presidential campaign stops.

“It’s flattering to have presidential candidates come to your county to persuade voters," Bensalem Public Safety Director William McVey told the Courier. "But it comes at an expense.”