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U.S. NEWS Thursday 15 March 2018

Pennsylvania wake-up call for GOP: Almost no one is safe

Press has not declared a Party whose centrist views
winner. — support of gun owner
"Obviously, this is a very rights, personal opposition
tough environment for Re- to abortion and refusal
publicans," said Courtney to back Nancy Pelosi as
Alexander, a spokeswom- House floor leader — would
an for the Ryan-aligned not be replicated in other
Congressional Leadership races. With so many Demo-
Fund, which supports GOP crats revved up to run in so
candidates for the House. many House districts across
"Now more than ever, can- the country, both sides are
didates and campaigns expecting a brutal primary
matter." season. Republicans are
Publicly, Republican offi- counting on that ending up
cials sought to downplay in their favor, with Demo-
the outcome as a one-off crats nominating more-lib-
that won't be replicated as eral candidates who won't
they protect their majority survive general elections
nationwide this fall, espe- against GOP rivals.
cially if voters start to see "The primaries bring them to
benefits from the GOP tax the left," Ryan told report-
bill in paychecks. ers, and the prospect of
They portrayed Lamb, the more centrist Democratic
Conor Lamb, the Democratic candidate for the March 13 special election in Pennsylvania's 18th 33-year-old former pros- candidates like Lamb "is
Congressional District, center, celebrates with his supporters at his election night party in Canon-
sburg, Pa., early Wednesday, March 14, 2018. ecutor, as a unicorn-like something that you're not
(AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) figure in the Democratic going to see repeated."q
By LISA MASCARO western Pennsylvania had
AP Congressional Corre- sounded the started gun
spondent for the battle for control of
WASHINGTON (AP) — The the House.
message to Republicans Republicans looking for les-
from the Pennsylvania spe- sons found several. Candi-
cial election was simple: Al- dates matter. Campaigns,
most no one is safe. too. And fundraising. Presi-
Rattled Republicans were dent Donald Trump can't
hit with a day-after real- save them, it seems, not
ity check Wednesday after even in a coal-and-steel
the startlingly strong per- region he carried by nearly
formance of a fresh-faced 20 percentage points just
Democrat deep in Trump 16 months ago.
country. Trump won more than 100
House Speaker Paul Ryan districts nationwide by nar-
privately warned his ranks rower margins than that,
that the election, still of- arguably making them
ficially undecided, should comparably competitive
serve as a "wake-up call" as now. Democrats produced
the party tries to defend its an updated watch-list
majorities in Congress this Wednesday of GOP repre-
fall. Democrats boasted sentatives they suggested
optimistically of an impend- might want to think about
ing wave, and produced a retirement.
new list of races that sud- In Pennsylvania, the tally of
denly seemed within reach. absentee ballots ate into
Even as ballot counting Lamb's lead slightly, though
dragged on with several analysts doubt Saccone
hundred votes separating will make up the deficit. Of-
Democrat Conor Lamb ficials have seven days to
from Republican Rick Sac- count provisional ballots,
cone, it was clear the sin- and either side can ask for
gle, short-term contest in a recount. The Associated