Republicans trash their candidate in Pa. special election

[workinclasszero]

Republicans trash their candidate in Pa. special election
The GOP is bracing for an embarrassing defeat next week in a district Donald Trump won by 20 points.
By ALEX ISENSTADT 03/07/2018 06:25 PM EST


Shortly after the new year, Rep. Steve Stivers, the House GOP campaign chief, delivered a stern message to Rick Saccone, the party's special election candidate in Pennsylvania.

You need to start pulling your weight, Stivers implored Saccone, the mustachioed 60-year-old state legislator who is carrying the weight of the Republican Party in a crucial contest next week.

Stivers’ warning, described by two people familiar with the discussion, was intended to put the candidate on notice. The national GOP would be helping him out substantially, Stivers said. But if Saccone didn’t start upping his fundraising game and getting his sluggish campaign in order, he could lose a race that should be a gimme for the party.

Tuesday’s special election, which is being held in a district President Donald Trump won by 20 percentage points, has emerged as the latest testing ground of whether Republicans are headed for a midterm bloodbath. A loss would be wholly embarrassing, many Republicans privately acknowledge, given that it would take place in a state that Trump made a cornerstone of his 2016 victory. And the themes that the GOP has highlighted in the special election — namely tax cuts and opposition to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi — are the centerpieces of the party’s 2018 campaign plan.

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

[blue neen]

1. In the ads the NRCC is running, they don't even mention Rick Saccone's name!

It's really bizarre. The Republicans sure don't like their candidate!

[workinclasszero]

2. Hahaha

Gotta love it huh?

[FakeNoose]

3. Yes I'm pretty sure Saccone is running against Nancy Pelosi

This race was never a "gimme" for the GOP candidate. The 18th District (as it's drawn now) is almost 50/50 for Dems and Republicans, depending on the candidates. The way this race seems to be going, many otherwise indifferent voters have come out strongly for Conor Lamb, while nothing of the sort has happened for Saccone.

I live in Pittsburgh (not in the 18th district) and I've seen the TV ads for Saccone and Lamb. They're like night and day, as others have posted here on DU. Even if I weren't a Democrat, I'd vote for Lamb. He's clearly the better candidate.

[blue neen]

6. I heard a Saccone radio ad this evening that was even worse than the TV ads...

...and that's pretty bad!

Conor Lamb is an excellent candidate. No matter what happens on Tuesday, he has a very bright future ahead of him! I sure hope he wins, though!

[PA Democrat]

4. I think they are hoping to suppress the vote for Lamb.

Losers figure if they can't get people to vote for Saccone, their only hope is to scare people away from Lamb.

I have been getting mailers every day from the GOP and they are all negative, VILE and full of blatant lies about Lamb.

They can't sell their crappy candidate who couldn't debate his way out of a paper bag, so they undertake a campaign of lies to smear Conor Lamb.

Sounds like Tricky Ricky was too tired to fundraise after eating so many heavy meals paid for by lobbyists.

[blue neen]

5. The Republicans think they can make up for a lousy candidate by just throwing money around.

Meanwhile, they're spending the cash on laughably horrible ads and mailers!

[Mc Mike]

7. Nothing un-succeeds like non-success. Or something like that. nt

[workinclasszero]

8. The dumpster fire in charge

sure helped out that teabagger, didn't he?

[Mc Mike]

9. It was his impression of 'being presidential' that really did the trick,

brought the race home, for the GO Pees.

[workinclasszero]

10. Yeah that's it!