The race for the 18th Congressional District seat is heating up in the final days as Rick Saccone faces Conor Lamb. Commercials for both candidates have been all over television, and both candidates have been making appearances with some prominent names.
Either Lamb or Saccone will win the election on March 13, but it’s a seat the winner will only hold until the end of December.
“A new district will replace it, and the old district will be divided up into three other congressional districts. It’s a mess and one would think, why are they taking the time and effort to do this?” said Bill Green, WPXI’s political analyst.
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The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled the old map unfairly favored Republicans, and ordered the state legislature to redraw the districts. When the legislature and the governor were unable to reach an agreement, the court made up the new map.
The new map will go into effect for the primary in May, just two months after the 18th District special election. Both Saccone and Lamb have said no matter Tuesday’s outcome, they will run in the May primary, but likely each in different districts. While some argue the special election is a waste of time and money, others say it’s the system at work.
“There’s a time frame when a Congress member drops, you have to have an election. So even though we have a special election and then we will probably see the district change and then have another election, it still has to be done. It guarantees people representation in Washington. If we don’t do it, then they would not have a voice,” said Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto
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