Republicans have a lot of interesting excuses for Rick Saccone's shocking loss in Pennsylvania

Trump campaigns with Rick Saccone
(Image credit: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

Special elections are special in part because, like a Rorschach test or a horoscope, people see in them what they want. So how are Republicans explaining away center-left Democrat Conor Lamb's narrow win in Tuesday's congressional election in conservative southwestern Pennsylvania? In a district President Trump won by 20 points, with a Trumpian candidate, Rick Saccone, who had Trump's in-person support and a $14 million boost from outside GOP groups? Let us count some ways.

1. Lamb basically ran as a Republican.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
Explore More
Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.