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Congressional Special Election in Pennsylvania Too Close to Call

Democrat Conor Lamb holds small lead over Republican Rick Saccone

Conor Lamb (Drew Angerer/Getty Images)
March 13, 2018

Democrat Conor Lamb clung to a tiny lead late Tuesday night over Republican Rick Saccone in Pennsylvania's 18th congressional district special election, but no winner has been called yet.

With more than 99 percent of precincts reporting, Lamb (111,875) led Saccone (111,028) by just 847 votes. There were more than 3,000 absentee ballots still to be counted at the publication of this report.

President Donald Trump won the West Pennsylvania district by nearly 20 points over Hillary Clinton in 2016, leading Democrats to cheer the close result Tuesday as more proof of a potential wave in November.

Trump campaigned for Saccone on Saturday night, and Donald Trump Jr. and Saccone visited a candy factory in the district Monday that created jobs in the wake of the Trump-signed tax cuts, which Lamb opposed.

Lamb has bucked the national Democrats on issues like supporting gun rights and announcing his opposition to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.). He also said he supported Trump's recent tariff announcement.