Pennsylvania's 18th District was Trump country in 2016. But on Sunday, voters there gave a raucous standing ovation to Democrat Conor Lamb.
Trump made a desperate and disgusting last-minute pitch for the Republican in the Pennsylvania special election. But many former Trump voters are vocally and enthusiastically backing Democrat Conor Lamb.
On Saturday night, Trump trotted out his familiar mix of racism and despotism in service to Republican Rick Saccone. He unleashed hateful attacks on women like California Democratic Rep. Maxine Waters and Massachusetts Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren. He smeared members of the press. And he rambled on again about making Mexico pay for his border wall.
But many Pennsylvania voters are no longer interested in what Trump and Saccone are offering.
At a Sunday rally in Waynesburg, Lamb received an uproarious standing ovation from the audience.
And that coal country crowd included “a lot of Trump-voting Dems,” according to NBC News’ Vaughn Hillyard.
Saccone has squandered a huge polling lead in a district Trump won by 20 points. He now trails Lamb slightly in recent polls.
Saccone already needed all the help he could get. His refusal to support an anti-animal cruelty bill and his heartless dismissal of the mother of an opioid addict likely did him no favors.
And despite his last-ditch pitch, Trump has taken to trashing Saccone in private. And other Republicans trying to save face have done likewise.
The fact that Conor Lamb even has a chance in this district is amazing, and an indictment of the politically toxic Trump. But if Lamb’s welcome by these coal miners is any indication, he has much more than a fighting chance to humiliate Trump on Tuesday.
AssCrackBanditHunter on March 12nd, 2018 at 17:26 UTC »
Now these are the people NPR should be interviewing. People that were for trump and now have changed their mind. Those are explanations that are actually politically useful and interesting.
Interviews of people duped by trump promising the moon and now being too bullheaded to change their mind about him are not intriguing stories.
table_fireplace on March 12nd, 2018 at 16:11 UTC »
The fact that this is even close is a huge deal.
This district voted for Trump by 20, and the previous GOP incumbent ran uncontested two elections in a row.
The fact that a Democrat even has a chance should be scaring them silly. And it is - they've sent Trump himself to this district to try and pump people up.
If the coal miners are truly realizing that Trump is full of it and that he can't save the industry, then there's a chance for a ton of formerly blue districts to return to the fold. We can make sure their pensions and medical needs are taken care of, and support diversification so the younger miners have options.
Let's make it happen tomorrow!
mtlebanonriseup on March 12nd, 2018 at 14:56 UTC »
Help Conor Lamb win!
If you are in the PGH area, volunteers are still needed for all local canvassing and phone banking shifts. Find locations and sign up for shifts here: https://events.mobilizeamerica.io/conorforcongress
Continue to phone bank from home: https://events.mobilizeamerica.io/swingleft/event/106?link_id=1&can_id=8a83381fe1c58ee3c20acccd91c654d5&source=email-lets-get-out-the-vote-in-the-pa-18-special-election&email_referrer=email_303198&email_subject=lets-get-out-the-vote-in-the-pa-18-special-election
Text bank from home is currently full, but may reopen. Here's the link just be in case. https://act.indivisible.org/go/71676?t=5&ak_proof=1&akid=14501%2E67%2EgUmXTb
Donate: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/lamb-for-congress-1
Follow on social media. https://twitter.com/ConorLambPA https://www.facebook.com/ConorLambPA/ https://conorlamb.com/
I've been told day-of drivers are no longer needed, as they have too many, but other day-of volunteers can sign up at the above link.
Polls open in less than 21 hours. Let's do this!