Rendell told hosts Jon Karl and Rick Klein that Lamb’s strong performance against Republican Rick Saccone in Pennsylvania’s 18th Congressional District was a positive sign for Democratic candidates in red states. While the race remains too close to call, Lamb leads Saccone by several hundred votes with all votes counted, pending possible legal challenges.
“What makes this so impressive is this is probably the most ‘Trumpian’ district we’ve actually won a seat in,” Rendell added. In 2016, Trump won the 18th Congressional District by 20 points over Hillary Clinton.
Rendell pointed out the president’s keystone state campaign rally over the weekend was supposed to fire up Saccone voters but may have backfired.
Robin Marchant/Getty ImagesEd Rendell attends the Prostate Cancer Foundation dinner at the Pierre Hotel, Dec. 2, 2015, in New York City.
GOP shrugs off Pennsylvania special election results
“When the president came up and spoke, said it was important to him, I think it probably increased turnout, you know, a percentage or 2 or 3 points. And that could’ve been the difference, as close as it was,” Rendell said. “On the other hand, it might have cost Saccone some votes of undecided voters because the president was so demeaning to Saccone.”
He added: “He made Saccone look like a little schoolboy in short pants who was being disciplined for not doing a good enough job.”
Rendell said conservative Democrats should be embraced by the party if it wants control of the House and the Senate.
“I would suggest to you that Conor campaigned like a conservative Democrat, like a [West Virginia Sen.] Joe Manchin or a [Indiana Sen.] Joe Donnelly or a [North Dakota Sen.] Heidi Heitkamp.”
Republicans are now mulling the question Saccone posed to supporters at the end of his rally with the president.
“If President Trump’s in your corner,” asked Saccone, “how can you lose?”
Sourse: abcnews.go.com
