You couldn’t ask for a more beautiful Sunday on the Bristol waterfront. The sun was shining, a light breeze was blowing, and there was no need for a jacket.
Nearby, Mill Street was bustling with vendors and hundreds of people enjoying the Bristol Stroll. Down the hill in Lions Park, local resident and singer-songwriter Don McCloskey was sound-checking at the gazebo while campaign staff hung signs and greeted the arriving crowd.
As people mingled, conversations about the latest poll, which put Harvie up by two points, could be heard throughout the gathering. While the numbers were certainly encouraging, the response was consistent: “Yes, but we need to keep going.”
The race is still close.
That has been the message throughout this campaign, not just here in Bucks County but across the country. Every vote is going to count.
Music, Family and a Local Connection
The rally opened with a short set by McCloskey, a local artist with a devoted following. He has recorded several albums, is known for his energetic live concerts, and has had songs featured in documentaries and television shows. He has also written sports anthems, including “Unstoppable,” which became an anthem for the Philadelphia Phillies during their 2009 World Series run.
McCloskey is also Harvie’s second cousin and a strong supporter. Having helped organize the event, he was a natural choice to kick things off.
He began with “First in Flight,” a song about the Wright brothers and perseverance, followed by a local favorite, “Son of It All.” The latter reflects on his family’s working-class roots and growing up in a Bristol that was not as thriving as it is today.
I was born
Son of a McCloskey, son of a Moore
Son of two young boys sent off to fight an old man’s war
Son of the nights they stayed awake unsure if that would be the night that they would sleep tight forevermore.
He closed his set with a stirring rendition of Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down,” setting a fitting tone for a campaign rally just nine days before Election Day.
A call to show up
McCloskey introduced Bucks County Prothonotary Donna Petrecco, who spoke about knowing Harvie for nearly 20 years, first as a neighbor, then as a public servant, and now as a colleague in county government.
“I can tell you firsthand that Bob is the real deal,” she said. “He is decent and committed to helping people.”
Petrecco pointed to Harvie’s record of service, from his years as a teacher to his time as a Falls Township supervisor and now as a Bucks County commissioner.
“He has always shown up for Bristol, his hometown,” she said.
She drew a distinction between politicians who make appearances in a community and those who genuinely show up for the people who live there.
“There’s a big difference between being seen in a community and actually showing up for the people who live there,” Petrecco said. “Bob’s opponent may enjoy the photo opportunities, but our constituents deserve more than a picture and a handshake. They deserve someone who listens to their concerns, answers their questions and shows up even when the cameras are gone.”
That, she said, is what Harvie is ready to bring to Congress.
“Now it’s our turn to show up Bob.”
Petrecco closed with a straightforward call to action: Call five friends who are frustrated with the state of things and encourage them to vote.
The sheriff’s message: Don’t take the bait
Next up was Sheriff Danny Ceisler, who recalled working alongside Harvie and watching him literally roll up his sleeves and get to work.
Ceisler also addressed the presence of two paid operatives associated with the Fitzpatrick campaign at the Sunday morning event. One operative who has been in the news for his run-ins with the law was placing Brian Fitzpatrick signs around the rally. Another paid agitator is reportedly paid $5,000 a month to keep tabs on Harvie’s whereabouts. He has frequently harassed campaign staff and is a known entity after he first appeared 12 months ago. He moved through the crowd recording everything with a GoPro mounted on a selfie stick.
Rather than encourage a confrontation, Ceisler used the moment to deliver a message about keeping the campaign focused.
Drawing on his authority as sheriff to deputize individuals to help maintain the peace, he jokingly “deputized” the crowd, charging attendees with keeping things calm.
His instructions were simple: Don’t engage. Don’t get drawn into a squabble. Keep your eyes on the bigger fight ahead.
The priority, he emphasized, was getting out the vote.
Faith in the community
Bucks County Commissioner Diane Ellis Marseglia followed, praising Harvie for his hard work and his faith in his fellow citizens. She pointed to his understanding of history and his appreciation of what the current moment demands, arguing that those qualities are essential to meeting the challenges facing the country.
This is the time for America to save America.
McCloskey then returned to the stage to introduce his cousin.
He spoke about having known Harvie his entire life, highlighting his academic accomplishments, his commitment to teaching and his years of service to the community.
Then Harvie took the stage.
‘Every Vote Counts‘
For a candidate in such a close race, with just nine days remaining before Election Day, Harvie appeared relaxed. He thanked the crowd for spending part of a beautiful Sunday morning with him.
By this point in the campaign, his stump speech was well established. He argued that his opponent could not point to a comparable record of service to the community, criticized what he described as Fitzpatrick’s reluctance to engage directly with constituents, and made the case that, after 10 years, the district was ready for a change.
But Harvie has also been sharpening another part of his message, one that seemed to resonate with the crowd.
He spoke about a political system in which those already in positions of privilege continue to receive favors, while ordinary people in local communities struggle to get the help they need.
READ: Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick Has (Quietly) Gone Full Trump
It is our neighbors and fellow citizens who need support, he argued, not those who already have plenty of it.
The contrast, as Harvie presented it, extends to the campaigns themselves. Fitzpatrick does not need to hold grassroots rallies or traditional political events because he can rely on large donors to help move the needle. Harvie, by contrast, continues to show up, whether the cameras are rolling or the crowd is large.
And a small rally is just as worthwhile as a big one.
The reason is simple: Every vote counts.
A new campaign anthem
McCloskey returned to the stage one last time with a proposal to bring back a political tradition.
“Campaign songs used to be a thing,” he said. “I want to bring that back.”
He then debuted “Vote for Bob,” an upbeat call-and-response number that quickly got the crowd involved.
Vote for Bob! (Vote for Bob!)
Vote for Bob! (Vote for Bob!)
He’s the best one in the country for the job
He’s a teacher
He’s a fighter
He’s a leader and uniter
He’s one of us!
That’s why we vote for Bob.
With the song finished and the rally winding down, the crowd dispersed, many heading back toward Mill Street to enjoy the rest of the sunny afternoon.
The Harvie campaign hurried off to its next stop, likely with campaign trackers close behind.
In a race this tight, there was little time to linger. The message from the waterfront was clear: Keep showing up, stay focused and make every vote count.
