CARNEGIE, Pa. — Shadowed by the Trump presidency and the potential impact of a special election in a midterm year, voters in a western Pennsylvania congressional district find themselves on an unlikely national stage. Ostensibly, they are choosing Tuesday between Republican Rick Saccone and Democrat Conor Lamb to replace Tim Murphy, who resigned last fall amid a sex scandal. Those possibilities are enough to leave national Republicans already offering explanations for what would be an embarrassing defeat. When the eight-term congressman vacated the seat in October, there came no chest-puffing from national Democrats plotting how to reclaim the 24 additional seats they need to take over the House. Lamb mostly avoids Trump, who remains generally popular in the district, even if slightly diminished from his Election Day dominance.

Source: National Post March 13, 2018 04:30 UTC