Okay—so it was some titanic battle. It wasn’t a race that the GOP was in danger of losing. But you never take any race for granted, even in deep MAGA country. President Trump stopped by Montoursville, Pennsylvania on Monday for a campaign rally, where Fred Keller, the Republican congressional candidate in the 12thdistrict, whom he had endorsed, was given some last-minute praises by the president. Trump endorsed him and now he’s going to take his seat in the House of Representatives. A special election was called after Republican Congressman Tom Marino resigned weeks into his fifth term to join the private sector. Keller named 70 percent of the vote (via Fox News):
Pennsylvania state Rep. Fred Keller was projected to easily defeat Democrat Marc Friedenberg in Tuesday's special election to represent the Keystone State's 12th District in the House of Representatives.
With 81 percent of precincts reporting, Keller had received 70 percent of the vote, compared to 30 percent for Friedenberg.
Keller would complete the two-year term begun by Republican Tom Marino, who resigned in January, just three weeks into his fifth House term. With Keller's victory, the House comprises 235 Democrats and 198 Republicans. Two seats in North Carolina are vacant pending the outcome of special elections later this year.
Tuesday's result is no surprise, as the 12th District is solidly Republican and voters there backed Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election by a margin of better than 2 to 1 over Democrat Hillary Clinton.
Fred Keller of the Great State of Pennsylvania has been an outstanding State Representative. Now he is running as the Republican Nominee for Congress, and has my Complete and Total Endorsement. He will do a fantastic job - I look forward to seeing everyone tonight! #MAGA
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 20, 2019
Marino was picked by Trump to be his drug czar, according to The Washington Post, but a CBS 60 Minutes investigation uncovered that he was a key player in a law that hamstrung the government in keeping the opioid industry accountable. That’s another pressing issue that’s not nearly getting enough attention. Sorry to divert attention from now-Rep. Keller’s win, but Trump has declared this crisis a national emergency. The death toll has been staggering. In 2016, more people died from overdoses from opioid than during the Vietnam War. This is what should be getting more attention, not Russian collusion myth peddling or the endless game of Democrats’ impeachment bingo, which is about to go off the rails in D.C.
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Bring those football pads with you, Rep. Keller. We’re aren’t even at halftime yet.
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