Pennsylvania Republicans continue to get stomped. This time, it’s the Pittsburgh suburbs. The outcome is not surprising but the margin of victory is.
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BooMan
Martin Longman a contributing editor at the Washington Monthly. He is also the founder of Booman Tribune and Progress Pond. He has a degree in philosophy from Western Michigan University.
A Blue wave is looking more and more plausible. HRC won that district 58%-39% in 2016, from what I was reading. Looks like one more data point to add to a trend – Democratic candidates in special elections outperforming. It’s not a guarantee of a very good November, but a harbinger nonetheless. Let’s hope the GOTV efforts are solid come November.
Generally the swings in “safe” districts have been bigger than those in competitive districts, although the observed swings in competitive districts would still be big enough to get us the House. Presumably this is because of voter interest – Democrats are fired up and vote no matter what, while Republicans only vote if they think they need to. But there’s another aspect to these huge safe seat swings – swings like this could flip a safe seat, and there are dozens of House seats that won’t be getting much attention during the election that could still be flipped by a swing of this magnitude. We will probably see some very shocking wins in November.
Davis (D) – 73.47%
Walker-Montgomery (R) – 26.14%
Margin: 47.33%.
Clinton margin: 18.48%
Improvement: 28.85%.
Won 83/84 precincts.
I grew up across the Monongahela River from McKeesport in Squirrel Hill in the 1960s during Pittsburgh’s great transition. It was a seriously problematic period when the steel industry essentially became real estate bull shit in the 1970s. I became a lifelong environmentalist. Pittsburgh subsequently became a different city and I celebrate that.
Despite the reputation pushed by national publications, the Mon Valley is 1) more democratic and 2) more african-american than the “WWC” character that people assume. That said, it’s always nice to see a Republican get stomped.
Yeah, the media has definitely painted with too broad a brush east of the Hudson River.
I’m no poly sci expert, but I could have told you McKeesport, Clairton, Duquesne, Munhall, White Oak and West Mifflin are not conservative strong holds. Republican wins in these areas are more likely due to a demotivated/unorganized Democratic vote than anything else.
Also, especially regarding Midwestern cites like PGH, I think we are also seeing that the 2016 conservative vote in these places was more anti-Clinton than it was pro-Trump. Probably why FoxNews has to keep bringing up Clinton to it’s viewers and President Stupid has to keep campaigning in these places three years out from reelection.
My only quibble with this is Pittsburgh as “midwestern”. I don’t know how to classify it, exactly, but it’s not midwestern. Cleveland — which feels like a baby Chicago — has much more of that midwestern character.
I am right there with you, but this past electoral cycle the talking heads have been lumped in with it.
The city is geographically placed at a cultural crossroads and, from my own travels, terms like Midwestern, Mid-Atlantic, and Appalachian all don’t quite fit.
If Columbus had landed on the west coast everything east of the Rockies would still be wilderness.
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It feels like blue is getting bluer and red is getting tired.
Remember Clinton Fatigue? Welcome to the Republican reality.