Pennsylvania: Republicans sound alarm as Democrats claim victory

CANONSBURG/WASHINGTON: Republicans sounded the alarm after Democrats claimed victory in a Pennsylvania congressional election seen as a referendum on US President Donald Trump’s performance, although the vote tally remained officially too close to call.

In an ominous sign for Trump’s Republicans eight months before national midterm elections, moderate Democrat Conor Lamb led conservative Republican Rick Saccone on Wednesday by a fraction of a percentage point for the House of Representatives seat.

The earliest the election result could be certified is March 26, according to a state official, but the final tally could be unknown for weeks.

County officials are expected to begin counting provisional paper ballots late this week, and military ballots next week, officials said.

Republicans have until the results are officially certified to challenge the outcome or pursue a recount. Saccone on Wednesday afternoon sent a fundraising email to supporters saying the “campaign is far from over.”

The election should have been a shoo-in for Republicans in a district that Trump won by almost 20 points in the 2016 presidential election. He campaigned for Saccone, who started the race well ahead of Lamb.

Republican Speaker Paul Ryan called the election a “wakeup call” in a meeting with Republican House members and pushed them to raise more campaign funds. He also urged them to do more to highlight tax cuts approved by the Republican-dominated Congress and signed by Trump.

Lamb led Saccone by 627 votes on Wednesday, the state’s unofficial returns showed; Lamb had 49.8 per cent of the vote and Saccone 49.6 per cent.

With about 500 provisional, absentee and military ballots to count, according to the New York Times, Lamb’s lead appeared to be safe. The vast majority of the outstanding ballots were in Allegheny County, officials said, where Lamb received over 57 per cent of the vote.

Republicans have not conceded the race and were not ruling out a recount or other legal action, a spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee said.

MODERATE DEMOCRAT CONOR LAMB LED CONSERVATIVE REPUBLICAN RICK SACCONE ON WEDNESDAY BY A FRACTION OF A PERCENTAGE POINT FOR THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SEAT