GOP Panic Spreads to Pennsylvania

National Journal ^ | March 4, 2018 | Josh Kraushaar

[pghoilman]

“Whatever. I don’t feel like panicking yet.”

I hear you. The pearl clutching makes this place less confident, and less comfortable these past few days.

VSGDJT has this.

[fortheDeclaration]

Trump will rally the base since the agenda is our agenda.

[struggle]

Wondering if anyone’s heard about #HRCvideo ?

[struggle]

You still have no idea what will happen in the next six months.

[Retvet]

Trump didn’t put them here. The Republicans failing to support their own platform caused this.

[romanesq]

No clue. POTUS is a closer.

Even as the daily revelations hit, they see nothing ahead.
This will be like no Election path to November in US history.

Go America!!

[EdnaMode]

Agreed.

[mindburglar]

Dem tool.

[Crucial]

Trump is becoming more popular and his opponents are looking a bit silly parroting all the Russia fear-mongering. The economy is humming right along despite all the chicken littles. PC and snowflake culture is wearing mighty thin. I just don’t see a blue wave. I see some pushback but I don’t see widespread dissatisfaction with Trump’s performance. I do still see GOPe interference and footdragging which is the real threat to Republican electoral success.

[trebb]

Hope you are right - seems lately that far too many “Trump Supporters” give vocal support and instead of going with the thought that “WE WILL BAND TOGETHER”, it’s them “other Trump supporters” who will go out and get the job done for us - our side becomes pathetically lethargic at the worst possible times....while the Dems get super-energized and focused on each event.

[Pinkbell]

Realistic Problems:

1. The Russia probe drones on and on (as they intended) and shows no signs of ending (as they intended). It’s just bad headlines, and of course I don’t believe Trump colluded with the Russians, but the relentless negative headlines trying to imply guilt may have an impact.

2. The “chaos”. I said early on (as in during the transition) that Trump was putting some people in place who clearly didn’t agree with what he ran on - establishment people. That has proven to have caused problems with a lot of staff leaving. Rex Tillerson, for example, doesn’t seem to jive with Trump (not shocking at all because he was recommended by Condi Rice). Gary Cohn is another example, and he’s now gone. McMaster purged the NSC of the pro-Trump people - don’t know whether he stays or goes.

Plus, you have cabinet people who get caught doing stupid things like Shulkin, Carson (who I still love) with his dining room set, Pruitt, etc. Do I think the media would have dug into the cabinet like this if it was a Dem President? No.

However, the relentless negative news likely takes its toll, and they can portray Trump as corrupt by reporting on every little detail and Obama as scandal free by not reporting on or minimizing scandals.

3. The failure of the GOP to get things done they promised like repeal Obamacare and replace it with something better, the wall, infrastructure, etc. Some spend more time infighting and virtue signaling than getting things done (not all of them - there are some great ones up there).

I read a piece where a woman was talking about supporting Lamb over Saccone (she voted for Trump - believe she was a Dem). Anyway, she’s concerned over healthcare, social security, etc. and it’s leading her back Dem. The truth is that in order to keep those working class voters, you can’t just repeal Obamacare without replacement. That was as popular as a lead balloon last time, and that concerns people.

[FroggyTheGremlim]

Lots of Lamb signs in Mt. Lebanon.

[LS]

Panic?

Doubt it. Some concern Saccone may have lost lead—Baris says 1 point either way. Early Ds had an enthusiasm gap.

Trump goes in this week. D enthusiasm gap so far has been illusory everywhere but 1 FL race.

But yesterday was a red wave in TX. Ds at 2002 turnout levels.

[LS]

Er, did you miss AZ Lat week and TX yesterday? You mean red wave, right?

Where Ds have won-—outside of FL state house seat-—it’s been with record low turnout. CT house seat D won by 51 votes with TOTAL turnout of 3000. GA senate seat=9% turnout.

These local/state elections are viewed as a nuisance by our side.

Saccone may lose, but don’t buy “blue wave” tripe. AZ and TX are better indicators of the real blowout that is coming.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"underscores how even in a district where Second Amendment support is strong, gun control has become a fresh rallying cry for a supercharged Democratic electorate post-Parkland"

Speaking as someone who lives in this district and will be pulling the lever for Saccone next Tuesday, I can tell you that Lamb has been completely mum about any real issues. He's trying really hard to run as a moderate. The only thing that he claims is being a Marine and a Federal prosecutor who put drug dealers behind bars.

I've gotten a few mailers from groups like the NRA and others who have sent surveys to the clients. Lamb won't even answer questions on whether he believes in a ban on assault weapons or restrictions on abortion. Why? Because he does believe in them and wants to snow the voters here. Meanwhile he had an add where he was doing what? Shooting a semi auto rifle.

I don't know what the outcome will be but the fact remains that Lamb is trying very hard to hide his leftist beliefs because if they were known he'd lose in a landslide. I don't know what the results are, but this neck of the woods, Trump has not lost any support. Its just that people here have jobs and work to do. They don't have time to go out and rally this or march against that like the leftist do. You watch, that rally that Trump is holding on March 10th will be well attended.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"HOWEVER, Pittsburgh is the 800 pound gorilla in that district. Urbans, gibs-me-dats, hipsters, high-tech transplants, freaks, leftists, and weirdos are a major part of that district. Since when is Pittsburgh proper considered "Trump Country"? The media is painting a false scenario here."

The district is only the suburbs of Pittsburgh, not Pittsburgh proper. Most of this district is rural. The map you may have looked at might be the new re-drawn congressional district 18 that was court ordered. In the new re-drawn one Pittsburgh will be included I believe, but it's the old one put in place in 2011 that will be voting on March 13th.

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"Lots of Lamb signs in Mt. Lebanon."

Lamb is from Mt. Lebanon and that place used to be red 20 years ago, but they are now filled with rich liberals.

[Governor Dinwiddie]

Thank you for the clarification. Yep, I inadvertently looked on the new map which doesn't take affect until 2019. On that new map the three rivers area of Pittsburgh is clearly within the 18th. In fact, it appears all of urban Pittsburgh will be in the 18th.

The weird thing is that what is geographically now known as the 18th, will be called the 14th on the new maps.
 

[Jim Noble]

I still keep asking the same question-—what’s he done wrong? He’s cut taxes, in a very good way, he pulled out of that monstrous Paris Climate Accord, and jobs are coming back in very big way

Which is why the GOPe hate him..

[Magnatron]

Didn't take long for the narrative to move from Texas to another "PENDING DISASTER FOR THE REPUBLICANS!!!"