The first congressional election of 2018: A test of Trump in western Pennsylvania

It snowed the night before Conor Lamb’s campaign rally, coating most of the 18th Congressional District and keeping some voters at home. But 70 loyal Democrats shoveled out and drove to the American Legion hall to meet their candidate for Congress in a district that gave Donald Trump a 19-point victory in 2016. …

Democrats and Republicans agree that Lamb, 33, a Marine veteran and former assistant U.S. attorney, has turned the first congressional election of 2018 into a single-digit race. The district, a swath of southwest Pennsylvania drawn to reelect a Republican congressman — Tim Murphy, who resigned in disgrace last year — is already humming with super-PAC TV ads.

In 2014 and 2016, Democrats could not find a challenger to Murphy. But on Thursday, President Trump will visit the district for a speech about tax policy. Local Republicans consider the Trump speech a boon for state Rep. Rick Saccone, the GOP’s nominee for the March 13 contest — a sign of just how much is at stake here, for Republicans and Democrats. CONT.

David Weigel, Washington Post