House race seen as verdict on Trump

Close vote in Pennsylvania district gives Democrats hope they can challenge president in midterm elections

Mt. Lebanon, Pa. — Democrat Conor Lamb and Republican Rick Saccone were locked in surprisingly tight congressional election Tuesday night that pitted the strength of President Donald Trump’s grasp on blue-collar America against the energy and anger of the political left.

The contest has drawn national attention as a bellwether for the midterm elections in November.

In a region Trump carried by 20 points, the White House has scrambled to rally voters behind Saccone, who cast himself as the president’s “wingman,” but has struggled at times to connect with the blue-collar coalition that fueled Trump’s victory little more than a year ago.

Lamb, a 33-year old Marine veteran and former federal prosecutor, downplayed his opposition to the Republican president on Tuesday and insisted instead that the race hinged on local issues.

“This didn’t have much to do with President Trump,” Lamb said after casting his vote in suburban Pittsburgh.

Because of a state court decision redrawing Pennsylvania’s congressional boundaries, the winner will have to start campaigning for re-election almost immediately in a different district.

Still, the election has far greater political consequences as each party prepares for the November midterm elections.

For the White House and its Republican allies, a Tuesday loss would represent both a profound embarrassment and major cause for concern in the broader push to defend majorities in the U.S. House and Senate.

The president has campaigned in the district twice and sent several tweets on Saccone’s behalf. Other recent visitors include the vice president, the president’s eldest son, the president’s daughter and the president’s chief counselor. Outside groups aligned with Republicans have also poured millions of dollars into the contest.

For Democrats, a win would reverberate nationwide, while even a narrow loss would be viewed as a sign of increased Democratic enthusiasm just as the midterm season begins.

Lamb was watching election returns privately, but hundreds of his family, friends and supporters were enjoying a buffet and drinks at a Canonsburg, Pa., hotel.