Speed Reads

2018 elections

Pennsylvania Republican Rick Saccone just lost his 2nd congressional race this year

Pennsylvania voters participated in their first primaries under the state's new congressional map on Tuesday, and it looks like at least two women will break into the Keystone State's all-male congressional delegation. In the competitive 5th congressional district, in suburban Philadelphia, Mary Gay Scanlon won a crowded Democratic primary to face Republican Pearl Kim, and in the solidly Democratic 4th district, state Sen. Madeleine Dean (D) easily won her primary. Democrats have high hopes to flip three to five seats in November, a crucial test of their push to win control of the House.

Democrats already flipped one seat this year, when Rep. Conor Lamb (D) beat state Sen. Rick Saccone (R) in a special election in a solidly Republican district. Lamb will face Rep. Keith Rothfus (R) in the newly redrawn 17th district, while Saccone lost his second congressional race of the year, bested by state Sen. Guy Reschenthaler in the GOP primary in the 14th district. That district is rated solidly Republican.

In a special state legislative election on Tuesday, Democrat Helen Tai beat Republican Wendi Thomas for an open state House seat in Bucks County, a district President Trump narrowly won in 2016. This is the 41st state legislature seat Democrats have flipped since Trump was inaugurated, The Daily Beast notes.