And ANOTHER one bites the dust! (R-PA not seeking reelection) cross post

[yortsed snacilbuper]

Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Ryan Costello will not seek reelection to his district in 2018 as he faces a difficult midterm race in a district with a growing Democratic voter base, City & State Pennsylvania reported Saturday.

Despite having filed this week to run in the GOP primary for the state's 6th District in May, Costello told state and local Republican officials that he plans to drop out in the weeks before then, unidentified sources told the news outlet.

Costello reportedly met with former 6th District Rep. Jim Gerlach (R) and the state GOP chairman about the decision Friday, which he said would avoid a costly defeat for the party in the coming months.

The Pennsylvania Republican has been rumored to be considering retirement from the Philadelphia-suburban area hit hard by a recent redrawing of the state's congressional districts.

http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/380122-republican-pa-congressman-wont-seek-reelection-report

http://www.cityandstatepa.com/content/sources-us-rep-costello-drop-out-pa-6-race-may-primary

https://upload.democraticunderground.com/100210407379

[Orange Free State]

1. Pennsylvania is much changed for the better in a short time

I believe that not that long ago, a Repuke proposed to make the electoral votes go with the congressional districts. If you Gerrymander the districts, you Gerrymander the electoral college along with it!
The Philly area districts were Gerried the worst. This is a much more fair way to do it.

[murielm99]

2. Will they be able to keep his name off the ballot,

since he has filed? What if people vote for him anyway?

[Butterflylady]

3. Yippee

He is my rep in congress now, this is great news.

[BumRushDaShow]

4. I posted this in the LBN thread

https://www.democraticunderground.com/10142022665#post4

The new 6th contains Reading, PA, which has 87,000 folks and is over 60% Hispanic. Previous gerrymandering drew the district around Reading to purposefully eliminate that powerful demographic and dilute it with the most rural parts of Lancaster County -

Old 6th Congressional -


The current map has now incorporated Reading and that changes the dynamic significantly despite the fact that Chester county is also rural but has been developed like crazy into a Philly suburb over the past 20 or so years, so it's character has been shifting. Even the (small) city of West Chester is about 25% minority vs the (small) city of Coatesville that is 75% minority -

New 6th Congressional-


The district is now essentially the wealthier Chester County population balancing with the poorer town of Reading. If somehow, some way, a big GOTV can happen in Reading and some of the more minority-majority towns in the district, this seat could be a pickup.

[FakeNoose]

5. This is awesome news

Thanks! Go Pennsylvania Democrats - let's make it a BLUE Year!

[BumRushDaShow]

6. Found a map from the NYT that basically shows the handwriting on the wall

The new 6th -



https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/02/19/upshot/pennsylvania-new-house-districts-gerrymandering.html

(as a note - the NYT article didn't take into account that the districts were renumbered)

[Mc Mike]

7. Buh bye, jagoff. rec, thanks y.s.. nt.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. MSNBC interviewed Costello on 3/25/18 (heard about this on a local radio station) - link

On the "Kasie DC" program - https://www.msnbc.com/kasie-dc/watch/rep-costello-will-not-run-for-re-election-in-pa-1194765891537

Her show ran during the same slot (plus an additional hour) as 60 minutes with the Stormy Daniels interview.

OMG all I did was yell at the computer screen watching this. Good riddance!