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News Thursday, Feb 22 2018

"Rattled" Republican establishment scrambles to help career politician Rick Saccone as he struggles to connect with Western Pennsylvania voters

Feb 22, 2018

Two national reports today underline that the Republican establishment in Washington is desperate to “prop-up” career politician Rick Saccone, who’s campaign is stalling as Saccone fails to demonstrate that he will stand-up for middle class families and Western Pennsylvania workers instead of the special interests that he has put first throughout his time in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives.

In recent days, Reuters also spoke with Trump voters in Pennsylvania’s 18th district, who expressed a lack of enthusiasm for Saccone.  These Trump supporters said that they view the tax plan Saccone is promoting as a “giveaway” for the rich and that only throws “a bone” to them.

This comes as polling shows the race is tightening.

“Follow the money – the Republican establishment is in full-on panic mode because career politician Rick Saccone is not connecting with Western Pennsylvania voters,” said American Bridge spokesperson Andrew Bates. “Saccone’s failure to gain traction has everything to with him, his out of touch views and his refusal to address serious problems like the opioid crisis. This is not a problem D​.​C​.​ insiders can fix.”

Los Angeles Times: “GOP rattled by Pennsylvania congressional race in the heart of Trump country…party leaders in a congressional district stretching from the Pittsburgh suburbs to the West Virginia border are so panicked that their candidate is flailing, with a special election only weeks away.”

  • “The Washington GOP establishment has already spent north of $2 million propping up Rick Saccone, a low-octane state legislator whose sparring with powerful labor unions and difficulty outmaneuvering his young, inexperienced rival have unnerved conservative organizers.”
  • “House Speaker Paul D. Ryan’s Congressional Leadership Fund has sent 50 full-time staffers into the district to knock on the doors of Republican voters every day. It and other outside conservative groups have bombarded the airwaves with attack ads, aiming to tar Lamb, 33, a political neophyte, with labels meant to resonate with an electorate deeply suspicious of Washington.”

Politico: “The GOP cavalry has descended on the contest, with President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence making trips to the southwestern Pennsylvania district. GOP groups are investing millions to prop up Saccone…”


Published: Feb 22, 2018

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