US Election 2024: How Amish voters helped Donald Trump swing Pennsylvania

In the 2024 election, Donald Trump managed to expand his support across a broad demographic range, drawing in women, men, young voters, Black Americans, and Hispanics. But perhaps the most surprising new contingent of Trump supporters was the Amish, who typically avoid political engagement. For the first time in Pennsylvania, Amish voters registered to vote in “unprecedented numbers” to support Trump in this key battleground state.

This shift came after a government raid at Amos Miller’s raw milk farm in Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania, last January. The Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture had received reports of illness linked to raw dairy products sold at the farm and subsequently launched an enforcement action. This event sparked widespread concern in the Amish community, which saw it as emblematic of government overreach into their way of life. Traditionally averse to modern politics, the Amish felt compelled to get involved in an effort to protect their livelihoods and traditional practices.

Local conservative activist Scott Presler played a significant role in mobilising the Amish for Trump . He spent weeks in Pennsylvania's Amish regions, capitalising on the raid narrative to illustrate government interference in Amish agricultural practices. By highlighting Trump’s stance on limiting federal authority and advocating for religious and personal freedoms, Presler successfully connected with Amish voters who felt that their values and way of life were under threat.

The “Amish for Trump” momentum went beyond this one community. Presler also reached out to other traditionally conservative groups, like union laborers and hunters, by emphasising Trump’s positions on job security and Second Amendment rights. However, the Amish alignment was especially striking, as it marked a rare moment when this insular community actively participated in national politics.

Elon Musk, one of Trump’s high-profile allies during the campaign, underscored the importance of the Amish vote to Trump’s Pennsylvania ground strategy. In an interview with Tucker Carlson, Musk noted, “We paid significant attention to the Amish community. There was government overreach with the Amish farmers. They were upset, so we made sure they got out to vote.” This outreach effort helped secure Trump’s victory in Pennsylvania, a critical win on his path to the presidency.

The “Amish for Trump” movement was more than an anomaly in voting behaviour; it was a testament to the Amish community’s commitment to safeguarding their traditions in the face of what they perceived as federal encroachment. This unexpected surge in support demonstrated the unique coalitions that Trump’s 2024 campaign built across diverse, and often overlooked, American communities.