Looks good for a Lamb win. (But one word of caution though. This is a mixed district-- outskirts of Pittsburgh as well as more rural areas. Usually the first voters to be tallied are from ore urban areas, so usually early returns are more heavily Democratic than final count).
However that being said, it does look like Lamb has piled up enough of a lead that iot probably won't be beat when rural returns come in.
P.S: Lamb's opponent is a real nut case-- he's made comments like "Democrats hate God"...which show the sort of weirdo he is! Probably too weird, in fact, even for many Republican voters in that district....
it looks like there are appx 80,000 votes still out and Lamb has a 7,000 vote lead. Unless the remaining vote is in heavily Saccone precincts it looks good for Lamb.
Pennsylvania US House Special Election 18
Candidate
Percent
Votes
Conor Lamb (Democratic)
52.6%
63,595
Rick Saccone (Republican)
46.7%
56,427
Drew Miller (Libertarian)
0.6%
747
Write In (Unaffiliated)
0%
58
359 of 593 (61%) Precincts Reporting, 120,827 Total Votes
Hard to call it a repudiation when the Democrat basically runs on Republican platform
Its not whether or not its a repudiation of of either the Democratic or Republican platform. Rather, the real significance of this election is aboutwhether its a repudiation of Trump. Demographically, this district is typical "trump country"-- in fact in the Presidential election he won it by 20%-- a YUGE margin>
So if the Democrat wins this election, it is YUGE (bigly huge in fact!) repudistion of Trump.
(Actually, even of the Democrat loses, but only by a very small margin-- it is still a repudiation of Trump & his policies).
Trump made a "rousing " campaign rally speech for the Republican candidate just a few days ago.
He injected his personal reputation into the race. Too bad so sad. He won by TWENTY points in Nov 16, not that long ago. Even accounting for the possibility that the GOP candidate sucks, it should not produce a 20 point swing.
And there are few blacks in this district, so you can't explain the Democrats performance with the black vote.
When Trump "leads" the GOP to somewhere around 800 seats, we can talk if he'll catch Obama's record.
Otherwise it isn't a big deal.
Democrats already have enough Senate votes to block anything.
well you have stated a few times that the democrats and liberals should just "win more elections" if they are that upset over the current political climate, right ? it looks like they are taking your advice.
Democrats chose a better candidate to run against Saccone than they did Trump.
Except you are ignoring the elephant in the room. A Democrat won in one of the most obscenely gerrymandered districts in the country. This district is so gerrymandered that it is being eliminated for the next election.
Not ignoring it at all. Good democrats with a good message can win elections.
But that's what makes this win so big an accomplishment. This was a mediocre Democrat, with mediocre messages, beating an established Republican in an obscenely gerrymandered district.
This district is gerrymandered to the point that Democrats never even bothered putting up anyone to run for the last few elections. Yet, in 2018, here comes this unknown guy, running as a hated Democrat, and he wins. GOP can try to play it down all they want, this was MAJOR!
Did he? If I recall, before Trump went to Pennsylvania the democrat had about a 5 point advantage. After Trumps appearance the difference was cut to less than one percent.
GOP can try to play it down all they want, this was MAJOR!
It was a good win, no doubt. Good to see Dems getting their ground game together. If this can serve as a template for the Democratic Party going forward, you can call it anything you want. I’d vote for a candidate like Lamb for sure. Sick of R’s going unchallenged in my community.
Trump can blame it on the Libertarian candidate, who got 1334 votes. That could have made the difference for Saccone.
Knowing Trump,he may blame a loss on alleged hordes of illegal Mexican immigrants (and Muslims fresh off the boat from the Middle East!) who suddenly mysteriously appeared in rural Pennsylvania on the final hours of the voting-- and shifted the results!
A lot of excitement for a seat that will probably be eliminated by new redistricting.
Its true in one sense-- no matter who wins the election it won't have any significant real impact on the House's votes. But in another sense it is important-its symbolic. If Lamb wins in such a heavily Republican district, it will indicate that Trump's popularity (even among Republicans) has slipped tremendously. (And in fact that is still true even if Lamb loses,but by only a small margin).
11:22 P.M. - The Associated Press will not make a call tonight
The Associated Press is not declaring a winner in Tuesday's special election for Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District because the race between Democrat Conor Lamb and Republican Rick Saccone is too close to call.
This particular race wasn't even supposed to be close.....the Rethug was supposed to win by a wide margin. Hopefully this trend holds and the GOP gets butchered in November.
This particular race wasn't even supposed to be close.....the Rethug was supposed to win by a wide margin.
You're correct. This seat, like that of the Alabama Senate seat vacated by Jeff Sessions, shouldn't even have been in play but Trump's policies have turned the country against the GOP. If the momentum keeps up Nomevber is going to be a Republican bloodbath.
Conor Lamb Declares Victory! The Democrats are partying the night away while the gop went to bed sad...
From everything I've seen-- its still too close to call....??? (I may have missed it...but have all the votes been counted yet? If not,they should wait 'till later today (Wednesday).
For sure there's going to be a recount, and things change in a recount. Lamb may have jumped the gun by declaring victory in that situation, because it could end up being a very big embarrassment. I don't have a skin in the game and I really don't care who wins, but.....
My concern is if Lamb doesn't come out the winner at the end of the day. They are so on the edge, they won't take it as an embarrassment. The Democrats would never accept this election if the the Republican only had this much of a lead. They would do everything they could to have a recount and if it didn't come out in their favor we'd have to deal with their psychosis.
Lamb has campaigned like the bygone Democrats use to and appears to stand for the things that made me a Democrat in the first place before the Party was hijacked by the Left.
this lamb guy is just the beginning of the left moving right.
Let's hope so. The Republicans are not a Party solely unified by one vision and I think that is good, whereas, since the Democrat Party was hijacked by the Left individuality is not tolerated. It would be refreshing to see Party members from both sides moving in the general direction of their Party but still have the ability to exercise that individuality within the Party.
Lamb appears to be more Republican than many republicans today. If he follows his platform and doesn't let himself to get excessively blackmailed by the loony left he'll do a good job. He appears to be the better man from what i've read about the candidates in this race.
If you watched his speech last night he thanked the unions for helping him to victory. I's wasn't aware that the republicans supported the unions....When did this happen.
Another assumption on your part...Nice try, but a fail.
Sure it is ..... nod, nod, wink, wink ..... i'm sure you are one of the few union members like myself who don't need to be told how to vote by their union bosses
Sure it is ..... nod, nod, wink, wink ..... i'm sure you are one of the few union members like myself who don't need to be told how to vote by their union bosses
Thinking that your the ''Great Karnac'' is entertaining to say the least. And to think that your some sort of rare union member that thinks for themselves is also quite intertaining if not self delusional.
The Dems will do well in November by running candidates who campaign as moderates. Since the Democrats won't do Republicans the favor of putting Hillary Clinton on the ballot, Trump hatred will get out the democratic vote in 2018 while the "moderate" Democrat won't engender the same amount of angst on the right, so Republicans won't turn out. Then, once the Dems take back the House and the moderate candidate starts voting as a left wing fanatic, they lose reelection.
So it goes. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Democratic congressional candidate Conor Lamb said Monday he wouldn't vote to give Nancy Pelosi another term as U.S. House Minority Leader if he wins a March special election. The candidate also is pro-gun & pro-life. Thus Lamb run's as a Conservative who gets the Union vote that Saccone does not. Please also note Lamb never had to win a primary, where the DNC would have run a left wing radical against him, one who would have defeated him among dem voters. Now that it appears that Lamb will briefly represent this district, the people of the district can fully expect that he will now do exactly what Nancy Pelosi tells him to do.
The voters of PA's 18th district got what they deserved
This was a textbook example of ways for democrats to win, fortunately, for the rest of us, the DNC will have none of it.
So, you feel it is fortunate that the Democrats will NOT endorse centrist candidates? You don't WANT the other side to move in your direction?? Says a lot about you. All you want out of politics is an enemy to fight with.
So, you feel it is fortunate that the Democrats will NOT endorse centrist candidates?
Yup, because they will keep losing with them.
You don't WANT the other side to move in your direction??
I'd love to see that, but they wont. Example #1 is Joe Manchin who say's he wants to work together on issues, yet hard left democratic leaders in the Congress wont let him vote with the President on anything.
All you want out of politics is an enemy to fight with.
All I want is the total defeat of liberal ideology.
He was a centrist Democrat. More of a rarity these days granted, which is probably why you did recognize him, but they are still out there and there used to be many of them in Federal office, just like about 18 or 20 years there used to be another rarity, a true conservative Republican. People like John McCain, Chuck Hagel and further back Gerald ford and Bob Dole. They're gone now thank's to the insanity of the alt-right of today's GOP.
Personally, as a Democrat, I hope we see the return of a whole lot more Centrists of both parties.
So for a select few of you, how confident are you still feeling in those idiotic assertions that the Democratic Party is finished and the mid terms will keep the GOP in power? I have always asserted that the historical norm will hold true, especially with the least popular president, since it has been measured, is in office. I also always told you all that you would be eating shit at the end of 2018. Getting nervous?
It is looking good for Lamb. Too early to call but things are not going well for the gop...
53.6% for Lamb 45.8% for Saccone (R) 9:14 P.M...
Looks good for a Lamb win. (But one word of caution though. This is a mixed district-- outskirts of Pittsburgh as well as more rural areas. Usually the first voters to be tallied are from ore urban areas, so usually early returns are more heavily Democratic than final count).
However that being said, it does look like Lamb has piled up enough of a lead that iot probably won't be beat when rural returns come in.
P.S: Lamb's opponent is a real nut case-- he's made comments like "Democrats hate God"...which show the sort of weirdo he is! Probably too weird, in fact, even for many Republican voters in that district....
I saw that on TV. Saccone needs to be kicked to the electoral curb. Maybe the gop in Congress will wake up.
Lamb has a 4,000 vote lead with about 40,000 votes uncounted. It could definitely go either way.
It remains mathematically possible but statistically highly improbably Saccone can overcome Lamb's lead...
it looks like there are appx 80,000 votes still out and Lamb has a 7,000 vote lead. Unless the remaining vote is in heavily Saccone precincts it looks good for Lamb.
Saccone is getting closer
I would imagine in less than an hour they will have a winner.
Let us hope. I am on the edge of my seat...
Saccone has gotten significantly closer in the past 15 or 20 minutes.
This is of course a district that Trump won by 20 points, so the people there have already voted a repudiation to his first year in office.
too close to call
These elections are a referendum on Trump. He won this district by 20 points 16 months ago. What has happened since then ? Trump has been president.
Its not whether or not its a repudiation of of either the Democratic or Republican platform. Rather, the real significance of this election is aboutwhether its a repudiation of Trump. Demographically, this district is typical "trump country"-- in fact in the Presidential election he won it by 20%-- a YUGE margin>
So if the Democrat wins this election, it is YUGE (bigly huge in fact!) repudistion of Trump.
(Actually, even of the Democrat loses, but only by a very small margin-- it is still a repudiation of Trump & his policies).
Why is this happening? (Republican gaining as it proceeds): see explanation in comment #3, above.
I've seen this sort of thing happening many times before....
Trump made a "rousing " campaign rally speech for the Republican candidate just a few days ago.
He injected his personal reputation into the race. Too bad so sad. He won by TWENTY points in Nov 16, not that long ago. Even accounting for the possibility that the GOP candidate sucks, it should not produce a 20 point swing.
And there are few blacks in this district, so you can't explain the Democrats performance with the black vote.
Elections like this are a snapshot of the organized opposition to the sitting president.
Trump went there and campaigned for the Republican RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTION.
It shows us that the people who think Trump is "popular" in anything other than the most conservative districts are fooling themselves.
Simple. Democrats chose a better candidate to run against Saccone than they did Trump.
well you have stated a few times that the democrats and liberals should just "win more elections" if they are that upset over the current political climate, right ? it looks like they are taking your advice.
Even a broken clock is correct twice every 24 hours .....
Conor Lamb has been declared the "Apparent Winner" of the Pennsylvania District 18 race...
I'm not singing Happy Days Are Here Again, yet, but I did catch myself humming a few bars.
You're forgetting Alabama.
Except you are ignoring the elephant in the room. A Democrat won in one of the most obscenely gerrymandered districts in the country. This district is so gerrymandered that it is being eliminated for the next election.
Not ignoring it at all. Good democrats with a good message can win elections.
But that's what makes this win so big an accomplishment. This was a mediocre Democrat, with mediocre messages, beating an established Republican in an obscenely gerrymandered district.
This district is gerrymandered to the point that Democrats never even bothered putting up anyone to run for the last few elections. Yet, in 2018, here comes this unknown guy, running as a hated Democrat, and he wins. GOP can try to play it down all they want, this was MAJOR!
Lol, it's really the other way around. Dems can play it up all they want but it's not that MAJOR.
Lamb is more centrist than anything else. Pro gun, pro life, pro immigration reform and anti Pelosi.
He's more Republican than many Republicans but certainly is not your run of the mill Democrat. Not even close actually.
Nah but if that helps you sleep at night Tessy you go girl.
I'm all for a good nights sleep for everyone. Whatever it takes, no matter how ridiculous ....
I'd say the same thing to you. I'd also like to thank Trump for helping the Democrat to win.
Did he? If I recall, before Trump went to Pennsylvania the democrat had about a 5 point advantage. After Trumps appearance the difference was cut to less than one percent.
It was a good win, no doubt. Good to see Dems getting their ground game together. If this can serve as a template for the Democratic Party going forward, you can call it anything you want. I’d vote for a candidate like Lamb for sure. Sick of R’s going unchallenged in my community.
As usual, you recall incorrectly, again.
We'll have to call him the Lamb of God!
You may call me Lamb Chop if the Democrats can take this seat from the gop...
It's close,
Whether he wins or not though, the voters of this district have repudiated Donald Trump tonight.
By the way, this district is being redrawn and will most likely go Democrat in November no matter what happens tonight.
It is starting to look like Saccone will squeak by. Less than 1000 vote difference
It is gonna be a squeaker. Conor Lamb leads by 0.6%...
I wonder if they will do a recount considering the winner will only be in office for 9 months.
I do not know but I suspect there may be a re-count if it stays this close. Lamb leads by 0.4% as of 10:52 P.M.
Count at 10:40pm is very close. Absentee ballots have not been counted. Saccone may pull this out by a hair. Then again, so can Lamb.
Lamb leads Saccone by 95 votes right now. There are over a thousand absentee ballots to count... tomorrow.
Washington County is not going to count their absentee ballots until tomorrow morning. Anyone smell a rat?
Yep. A rat indeed.
I can never understand blue collar union folk voting for anti union Saccone.
It's a tie
Lamb is 95 votes ahead with maybe 500 votes to count, not including the absentee votes, which are expected to favor Lamb.
Trump can blame it on the Libertarian candidate, who got 1334 votes. That could have made the difference for Saccone.
Knowing Trump,he may blame a loss on alleged hordes of illegal Mexican immigrants (and Muslims fresh off the boat from the Middle East!) who suddenly mysteriously appeared in rural Pennsylvania on the final hours of the voting-- and shifted the results!
Maybe this is the point where Trump starts claiming that Russia has gained access to US voting machines.
A lot of excitement for a seat that will probably be eliminated by new redistricting.
Nobody wins....
If Trump had not involved himself, no one would care.
Its true in one sense-- no matter who wins the election it won't have any significant real impact on the House's votes. But in another sense it is important-its symbolic. If Lamb wins in such a heavily Republican district, it will indicate that Trump's popularity (even among Republicans) has slipped tremendously. (And in fact that is still true even if Lamb loses,but by only a small margin).
As of 10:45 p.m. EDT, the race was still too close to call with absentee votes still outstanding. (LINK <-- looks like this site updates every minute or so)
Lamb leads Saccone 49.9% to 49.5% or by 848 votes with 99% of precincts counted at 11:10 P.M...
This is going to a recount. Final margin will be less than 300 votes out of 230,000.
There are 1,195 absentee ballots left to count from Washington County. Lamb leads Saccone by 848 votes...
Advantage Lamb!
11:22 P.M. - The Associated Press will not make a call tonight
The Associated Press is not declaring a winner in Tuesday's special election for Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District because the race between Democrat Conor Lamb and Republican Rick Saccone is too close to call.
Live coverage-- looks like Lamb is about to speak.
Lamb's lead has been cut to 579 votes will all precincts reporting and only about 3,000 absentee votes out...
Conor Lamb Declares Victory! The Democrats are partying the night away while the gop went to bed sad...
This particular race wasn't even supposed to be close.....the Rethug was supposed to win by a wide margin. Hopefully this trend holds and the GOP gets butchered in November.
You're correct. This seat, like that of the Alabama Senate seat vacated by Jeff Sessions, shouldn't even have been in play but Trump's policies have turned the country against the GOP. If the momentum keeps up Nomevber is going to be a Republican bloodbath.
From everything I've seen-- its still too close to call....??? (I may have missed it...but have all the votes been counted yet? If not,they should wait 'till later today (Wednesday).
Looking at this article brings back old time memories.
Old Time Memories
For sure there's going to be a recount, and things change in a recount. Lamb may have jumped the gun by declaring victory in that situation, because it could end up being a very big embarrassment. I don't have a skin in the game and I really don't care who wins, but.....
With 100% of the precincts reporting and all of the absentee ballots counted Lamb still leads it by 641 votes...
There is no automatic re-count. They are checking the numbers but it is mathematically certain that Lamb won...
My concern is if Lamb doesn't come out the winner at the end of the day. They are so on the edge, they won't take it as an embarrassment. The Democrats would never accept this election if the the Republican only had this much of a lead. They would do everything they could to have a recount and if it didn't come out in their favor we'd have to deal with their psychosis.
Lamb has campaigned like the bygone Democrats use to and appears to stand for the things that made me a Democrat in the first place before the Party was hijacked by the Left.
it would be funny if lamb wins. he supports trumps tarrifs and he even hates pelosi. LOL
that blue wave looks very red to me
I have been saying for yrs the left is done unless they again start supporting
the globalist progressive bs will not sell in this country anymore.
this lamb guy is just the beginning of the left moving right.
Cheers
Let's hope so. The Republicans are not a Party solely unified by one vision and I think that is good, whereas, since the Democrat Party was hijacked by the Left individuality is not tolerated. It would be refreshing to see Party members from both sides moving in the general direction of their Party but still have the ability to exercise that individuality within the Party.
Lamb appears to be more Republican than many republicans today. If he follows his platform and doesn't let himself to get excessively blackmailed by the loony left he'll do a good job. He appears to be the better man from what i've read about the candidates in this race.
Time will tell .....
Remember the GOP funneled $10.7 million into this election. However it turns out in the end the GOP did poorly here.
Mike Cernovich was quoted in an article with Vanity Fair posted yesterday on this special election.
If you watched his speech last night he thanked the unions for helping him to victory. I's wasn't aware that the republicans supported the unions....When did this happen.
It's not so much that Reps are against unions, it's more that unions are against Reps.
Being signatory to union labor for over 40 years i know what i speak of.
Having been a member of ILWU for decades, I have a very good idea of what the republicans think of unions.
I'm sure you have a very good idea of what your union bosses want you to think.
Member of a UA local for over 40 years.
Another assumption on your part...Nice try, but a fail.
Sure it is ..... nod, nod, wink, wink ..... i'm sure you are one of the few union members like myself who don't need to be told how to vote by their union bosses
Thinking that your the ''Great Karnac'' is entertaining to say the least. And to think that your some sort of rare union member that thinks for themselves is also quite intertaining if not self delusional.
Right back at ya, like you could actually think for yourself.
Hilarious!
Indeed, you are quite the joke.
Aww someone's feelings got hurt ..... poor thing, it'll be okay. Just breathe and take solace from your fellow (deleted CoC and NV rules [SP])
SOSDD
LOL, you have mistaken me for someone that cares what you think or say....
Have some cheese.
Lol .......right!
The lady doth protest too much methinks but whatever helps you sleep at night ..... i'm "pro" a good nights sleep for everyone.
Off topic, taunting. I am giving you both one warning about these kinds of comments. Next time I'm writing them up. [ph]
Off topic, taunting. I am giving you both one warning about these kinds of comments. Next time I'm writing them up. [ph]
Off topic, taunting. I am giving you both one warning about these kinds of comments. Next time I'm writing them up. [ph]
The Dems will do well in November by running candidates who campaign as moderates. Since the Democrats won't do Republicans the favor of putting Hillary Clinton on the ballot, Trump hatred will get out the democratic vote in 2018 while the "moderate" Democrat won't engender the same amount of angst on the right, so Republicans won't turn out. Then, once the Dems take back the House and the moderate candidate starts voting as a left wing fanatic, they lose reelection.
So it goes. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
Connor Lamb won by receiving 60,000 less votes than the Democratic candidate who lost the district by 8 points in 2016.
It's all about getting the base to turn out, and Republicans aren't particularly motivated.
Only in deep red districts like this one.
Democratic congressional candidate Conor Lamb said Monday he wouldn't vote to give Nancy Pelosi another term as U.S. House Minority Leader if he wins a March special election. The candidate also is pro-gun & pro-life. Thus Lamb run's as a Conservative who gets the Union vote that Saccone does not.
Please also note Lamb never had to win a primary, where the DNC would have run a left wing radical against him, one who would have defeated him among dem voters. Now that it appears that Lamb will briefly represent this district, the people of the district can fully expect that he will now do exactly what Nancy Pelosi tells him to do.
The voters of PA's 18th district got what they deserved
This was a textbook example of ways for democrats to win, fortunately, for the rest of us, the DNC will have none of it.
So, you feel it is fortunate that the Democrats will NOT endorse centrist candidates? You don't WANT the other side to move in your direction?? Says a lot about you. All you want out of politics is an enemy to fight with.
Yup, because they will keep losing with them.
You don't WANT the other side to move in your direction??
I'd love to see that, but they wont. Example #1 is Joe Manchin who say's he wants to work together on issues, yet hard left democratic leaders in the Congress wont let him vote with the President on anything.
All you want out of politics is an enemy to fight with.
All I want is the total defeat of liberal ideology.
He was a centrist Democrat. More of a rarity these days granted, which is probably why you did recognize him, but they are still out there and there used to be many of them in Federal office, just like about 18 or 20 years there used to be another rarity, a true conservative Republican. People like John McCain, Chuck Hagel and further back Gerald ford and Bob Dole. They're gone now thank's to the insanity of the alt-right of today's GOP.
Personally, as a Democrat, I hope we see the return of a whole lot more Centrists of both parties.
So for a select few of you, how confident are you still feeling in those idiotic assertions that the Democratic Party is finished and the mid terms will keep the GOP in power? I have always asserted that the historical norm will hold true, especially with the least popular president, since it has been measured, is in office. I also always told you all that you would be eating shit at the end of 2018. Getting nervous?