PA-18 Special Election 3-13-2018

[RTFirefly]

There’s a special election on March 13 in Pennsylvania’s 18th Congressional district, to replace Tim Murphy, the pro-life Congressman who resigned after news got out that he’d had an extramarital affair and had asked the woman to have an abortion.

The district, in the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania, was redrawn in 2013, is 96% white and has a Cook PVI of R+11. Murphy ran unopposed in 2014 and 2016. The Democratic candidate is Conor Lamb, a 33 year old Marine veteran and an assistant U.S. attorney. The GOP candidate is Rick Saccone, a 59 year old Air Force veteran in his fourth term in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

Should be a good test of the reach of the Democratic wave.

Links:
Wikipedia and Ballotpedia on the special election
Wikipedia page about the 18th district
Wikipedia pages on Conor Lamb and Rick Saccone
WaPo article about the Dems’ selection of Lamb

[Jonathan_Chance]

Fundraising test, too.

Whoever wins will have to immediately go into another election cycle for November.

[AlsoNamedBort]

In 2013, Saccone attracted attention for introducing the National Motto Display Act, a bill to require public school districts in Pennsylvania to post “In God We Trust” (the national motto) in every school building.[5][8]

The 2013 legislation failed, but in 2016, Saccone co-sponsored similar legislation (which would encourage but not mandate the posting of the motto in schools). The bill passed on a 179-20 vote in May 2016. The legislation was criticized by secular advocacy groups, such as the Freedom from Religion Foundation.[9]

Also in 2013, Saccone sponsored a “day of prayer” resolution, seeking to designate April 30 as a National Fast Day.[8]

In January 2012, Saccone introduced to the state House a nonbinding resolution (Resolution No. 535) to declare 2012 as the “Year of the Bible” in Pennsylvania. The resolution passed unanimously, but was criticized by Americans United for Separation of Church and State.[10][11] The resolution drew considerable political controversy in Pennsylvania, as well as national attention.[12]

Yowza