The special election in PA-18 on March 13th is seen as a harbinger of the Congressional elections of 2018. Trump won this district by 20 points, and yet the polls have it dead even right now. This is a race the R’s really don’t want to lose, and recent state legislative losses are a bad omen.
The most interesting aspect of Trump’s tariff decision is the big rush. He wanted to do this Right Now! The steel and aluminum execs were only notified yesterday. And Trump jumped the gun, announcing a decision he wasn’t ready to formally implement until next week. Why couldn’t this all wait a week, and summon the execs to the actual issuance of the Presidential order?
Well it so happens PA-18 is the area just south of Pittsburgh, the Steel City. The Mon Valley Works and other steel producers are important to the economy, and thus to the voters, of PA-18. By taking this action now he’s giving the Republican candidate, Rick Saccone, twelve full days before the election to campaign on it.
Who knows, Trump may want to do a town hall in the district next week. He is a candidate for reelection himself, so it can be an out and out political victory rally for Donald Trump.
And Rick Saccone.
Not bad for a White House paralyzed by chaos.
reaganproject.com 