Wow.
Who knew a Special Election in a district that is likely to be eliminated, would generate such fear and loathing in Republicans.
Yet here we are. Exhibit A:
The conservative Pittsburgh Post-Gazette editorial board has offered a novel endorsement of Republican Rick Saccone in Tuesday's surprisingly competitive special congressional election.
The newspaper says Democrat Conor Lamb is impressive, but argues that an upset in Pennsylvania could start a "Democratic wave" that would lead to President Donald Trump's impeachment.
Neither Lamb nor Saccone has focused on the special counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election. The paper insists the country must not "dive into so great a distraction."
Distraction? Nope.
Removing an easily blackmailed Russian asset from the highest office in the land is not a distraction. It is a sworn duty, currently being shirked by Republicans in Congress.
And by the way, I thought voters were supposed to be primarily animated by “economic anxiety,” and economic populism.
This is a tribal appeal being made to GOP voters in order to save Trump’s job, not theirs.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette is right to fear the great blue wave that keeps rising.
First term midterm elections are almost always bad for the party in power.And [Republican leaders in the House] understood this President's horrible poll numbers make defying history a giant challenge. So the plan was a disciplined year focused on promoting the 2017 tax cuts and encouraging economic news, and avoiding as much as possible anything that either demoralized the Republican base or invigorated an already energetic and enthusiastic Democratic base.But the President has consistently refused to go along.[...]There is near certainty now that 2018 is not 2016, by any stretch, and the attributes and instincts that led to the President's astounding win are now exacerbating an anti-Trump political environment that puts GOP congressional majorities at risk.