"Leo, don’t take me for a fool. I know the Democratic Party wants to win, but the Republican Party has even more to lose."

"Pennsylvania is the Keystone, the indispensable path to the White House. The Republican National Committee will pour hundreds of millions of US Dollars into this state. They’ll turn over every inch of ground."

"Senator Warren has a voter base in the vast rural and mountainous areas of central Pennsylvania that’s as solid as a religion."

Morganfield leaned forward. "And what makes you think that Murphy, that nice old guy who’s just been coasting in the House of Representatives, plus you, a brand-new mayor, can hold back this wave?"

Leo didn’t avoid his gaze. Instead, he broke into a smile so confident it bordered on arrogant.

"Because I’m the Mayor of Pittsburgh."

Leo extended a finger and tapped it gently on the table.

"Douglas, let me break down the math for you."

"The Republican Party’s formula for winning in Pennsylvania hasn’t changed in decades: they give up on the two deep-blue strongholds of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and then they rack up massive vote counts in the vast rural areas."

"But this time, I’m going to rewrite that formula."

Leo’s finger drew a sharp line across the table.

"Step one: we defend our strongholds and maximize the absolute margin."

"As Mayor, I’m wielding the infrastructure boom brought by that five-hundred-million-US-Dollar bond. This isn’t just about paving roads. These are votes."

"Every Union family that benefits from the revitalization plan, every construction worker who gets a paycheck from a job site, will become an ironclad vote for Murphy. I don’t need to convince them. Their paychecks will do the convincing."

"If I can rack up a net margin of two hundred thousand votes here, the Republicans could run themselves ragged in those small towns of a few thousand people and still never catch up."

Morganfield grunted noncommittally. "That only ensures you don’t lose too badly. It won’t win you the whole state."

"Exactly. Which is why there’s a step two."

Leo mentioned several counties surrounding Pittsburgh—Westmoreland, Beaver, and Washington County.

"This is the Republican Party’s backyard, a traditional Deep Red District. Senator Warren thinks this is his unshakable territory."

"But he’s wrong."

A cunning glint appeared in Leo’s eyes.

"The people who live here aren’t die-hard ideological fanatics; they’re pragmatic blue-collar workers. They vote Republican because they feel the Democratic Party has abandoned industry and only cares about environmentalism and gender issues."

"But now, I have the Inland Port expansion plan."

"The logistics chain for this port will extend into these surrounding Republican counties like arteries. The warehouses, supporting factories, and transport fleets I need will mostly be located on their turf."

"I’m going to bring the most direct benefits to the voters in those Republican counties—jobs for dockworkers, contracts for logistics drivers, salaries for warehouse managers."

"While Warren is on TV talking about God, guns, and traditional values, Murphy will be standing at their factory gates holding procurement contracts derived from the five-hundred-million-US-Dollar bond."

"I’m going to turn them from ideological voters into paycheck voters."

"I don’t need to win these counties. I just need to steal five, or even ten percent, of the white, blue-collar votes from Warren’s plate. Once that line of defense is breached, the Republican Party’s chances of winning Pennsylvania will collapse."

Morganfield’s expression grew serious. He picked up his cigar again but forgot to light it.

Leo proceeded to play his third card.

"Third, and the one you care about most—energy."

"The Republicans’ fiercest line of attack is that the Democratic Party is anti-energy and wants to suppress Pennsylvania’s shale gas industry."

"But this time is different."

"Murphy isn’t going to talk about environmental restrictions. He’s going to stand on the new Inland Port Terminal, point to the brand-new automated cranes, and tell everyone: ’I’m going to take the shale gas from under Pennsylvania’s ground, and our steel, and sell it to the whole world through this waterway!’"

"We’re going to use a narrative of industrial revival to counter the Republican Party’s culture war."

"To the energy workers worried about their livelihoods, a Democrat who can help them sell their product is far more appealing than a Republican who only shouts slogans."

Leo continued, "Finally, there’s Philadelphia."

"The Republicans love to attack Democratic candidates as puppets of the Philadelphia elite, but I’m different. I’m the Mayor of Pittsburgh. And in Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh is a natural rival to Philadelphia."

"Murphy will publicly argue with the Philadelphia Establishment Faction during the campaign. He’ll criticize Philadelphia’s crime rate and their tax policies. We’ll cultivate the image of a tough guy from the west, standing against the urban elite."

"This will help us win over those moderate, independent voters who dislike Philadelphia but are also uneasy with the Republican Party’s far-right wing."

Leo pulled his hand back, leaned back against the sofa, and watched Morganfield with a calm gaze.

"This is my path to victory, Douglas."

"That five-hundred-million-US-Dollar bond gives us more than just money. It’s a massive magnetic field."

"Its influence will spread out like ripples along the Ohio River and the interstate highways, reaching all the way to Erie and Bethlehem."

"The Republicans think they own rural Pennsylvania, but they forget that people in the countryside need to eat, too. They need jobs. Philadelphia can’t give them jobs, and the Republican Party only offers them empty promises."

"And I’m holding real contracts and the biggest logistics upgrade plan in the entire state."

"Warren can’t stop this wave, because all he has are slogans."