PA-18: GOP Braces Itself for Special Election Loss

[RandySF]

PERSONAL NOTE: I'm proud to have been the one to give my Conor my measly $20 as soon as his website went up.


Many Republicans expect that Saccone will ultimately prevail, thanks largely to the conservative nature of the southwestern Pennsylvania district and the national GOP’s effort. Yet three senior party strategists said they’d reviewed internal polling data in recent days pointing to a narrow Lamb lead, raising alarms. And this week, the Republican National Committee conducted a data analysis finding that just 47 percent of voters in the district viewed Saccone favorably, 3 percentage points lower than Trump.

The concerns go all the way to the White House. Trump appeared with Saccone at an event in January, and in the weeks that followed he described the candidate as less than ideal, according to three people who’ve spoken with him. In February, Trump planned to attend a fundraiser with Saccone, but in the days leading up to the event, the president’s aides privately grew fearful that Saccone wouldn’t be able to draw a sufficient number of donors to the event. (The fundraiser was ultimately canceled because of the Parkland, Florida, school shooting.)

Trump’s advisers, several of whom have been dispatched to the district, have been miffed, too. During one recent White House meeting, Saccone was critiqued by several administration officials. At one point, first daughter Ivanka Trump, who appeared with Saccone at a small business roundtable near Pittsburgh in February, was asked for her thoughts.

Trump told colleagues she’d been impressed by the candidate, who she described as kind and intelligent. But she noted that Saccone seemed to lack the charisma of many politicians.


https://www.politico.com/story/2018/03/07/republicans-pennsylvania-special-election-445221

[bearsfootball516]

1. Here's the key line in the story.

"Three senior party strategists said they’d reviewed internal polling data in recent days pointing to a narrow Lamb lead, raising alarms"

When your own internal polling, i.e. polling that stays secret and isn't revealed to the public, is showing Lamb winning...that's a major, major problem for Saccone.

[Loki Liesmith]

4. Could be expectation setting tho

Teasing an R loss makes a narrow R win look better

[bearsfootball516]

5. I'm confused by this.

Are you saying they're purposely lying about what their internal polling says to make it look better if he does win?

[hatrack]

7. Sure - "We're gonna lose, unless YOU get out and vote!"

Talking to their voters, not the general public.

[bearsfootball516]

8. It was an internal poll.

The results aren't released to the public. The only reason it was mentioned here is because Politico asked about it.

[hatrack]

11. And now it's not so internal any more . . .

.

[dhol82]

2. Oh, please let this be true!!!

I have friends who are working so hard to get Lamb elected.
Sending so many good vibes to this project!

[kimbutgar]

3. It will remain rethug

So much money is being poured in by the Reich wing Koch network. There are still enough cult people in That area.

That said! I will delighted if I am wrong!

[LBM20]

13. Progressives lose because they expect to lose, and you have just given us another example of it.

You are doing what way too many Dems/Progressives are so good at: expecting to lose so losing instead of fighting hard and winning.

There is a good chance here. Thanks for the wet blanket.

[kimbutgar]

15. Obviously you didnt read the last part I will celebrate if the Democratic candiadte wins

But we also must be cognizant to the brain washing, some of the weaker could revert.

[blue neen]

6. The NRCC no longer mentions Rick Saccone's name in the ads it's running.

It's really weird. They say "Vote against Nancy Pelosi and Liberals" with no mention of the Republican candidate. Now, THAT'S when you know the GOP has a bad candidate.

[spinbaby]

9. You should see the mail I get

Every day brings at least one big glossy ad in the mail luridly accusing Lamb of supporting criminals, drug dealers, and ZOMBIES. Okay, not zombies, but the scary black-and-white photos photos in these ads are so suggestive of zombies, that we’ve started calling it zombie junk mail. “Oh look, we got three pieces of zombie junk mail today.”

[blue neen]

10. The Republicans will stoop to any depths to protect their horrible candidate, Ricky Saccone.

I really hope Conor Lamb wins this thing. I'm so sick of the non-stop ads on TV.

Zombie junk mail says it all!

[Freedomofspeech]

12. We live in this district and have not received any mailings like that...

Of course our mail lady may be afraid to leave here!!

[spinbaby]

17. I cant believe you dont get them

We get mailings from Saccone daily. Sometimes two or three. Our household is two registered Democrats with a Conor Lamb sign out front, so I don’t know what they think they’ll accomplish. Maybe they just have a ton of money to spend.

[Freedomofspeech]

18. Seriously...

Not one mailing...I don't get it. We have two Conor Lamb signs on the yard and our home was a call center for the second Obama campaign...I guess we are on the raging liberal Democrats list!

[PA Democrat]

14. I live in PA-18 and was polled just tonight.

Saccone and the GOP are getting more and more desperate in their attempts to smear Lamb. The attack ads are beyond dishonest and vile. I just donated to Lamb's campaign again today out of disgust for Saccone's sleazy tactics.

I met Conor Lamb on Sunday and both my husband and I said that he has "it".... that special combination of brains, charisma and empathy for people and their issues.

Thank you to everyone from outside of the district for contributing to his campaign!

[DeminPennswoods]

16. Voters know Saccone

He's the state rep for a decent chunk of the district. It says a lot that his approval numbers are lower than Trump's.