Republican Keller wins Pennsylvania special election

[brooklynite]

Source: Politico

Republican Fred Keller won a special election on Tuesday to fill a vacant congressional seat in Pennsylvania.

Keller, a state representative backed by President Donald Trump, easily defeated Democrat Marc Friedenberg, a Penn State professor, to win in the solidly Republican district.

Former GOP Rep. Tom Marino resigned from Congress in January, just weeks into his term and after he won reelection last November by 32 percentage points. The district, which covers northeastern and central parts of the state, voted for Trump overwhelmingly in the 2016 election, 66 percent to 30 percent, over Hillary Clinton.

The race drew little attention from national Democrats, but Trump traveled to the district on Monday for a campaign rally that also reinforced the president's reelection message in a critical Electoral College battleground.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2019/05/21/republican-keller-wins-pennsylvania-special-election-1338128

[sinkingfeeling]

1. I didn't even know there was an election in Pa.

[DeminPennswoods]

3. There were 3 actually

but all were in heavily GOP districts. The 12th CD is sprawling, encompassing 16 counties (PA has 67 total) because it's mountains, forests and fauna more than people. When the congressional districts were redrawn by court order, the special master included State College/University Park (Penn State) in this district while the balance of Centre County in in the neighboring 15th, another large, sprawling district. Friendenberg won this area easily, 2-1, but it wasn't enough to overcome the rest of the district. How flippable this district becomes really depends on growth in and around State College/Penn State. Pretty much all the territory above State College and east of Erie County and west of Wilkes Barre-Scranton is empty.

There was 1 state house special that was retained by the Rs and 1 state senate special that was also retained by the Rs. The state house seat was closer than I expected, won only 53-47, and the Dem candidate had run last Nov as in Independent.

[Stuart G]

2. Thank You for the news. k and r

3 important words, "...solidly Republican district."