I don’t understand why people continue to view PA-18 as some kind of repudiation of Trump. For God’s sake, Lamb ran as a Pro Life, Pro Gun and Pro American worker candidate, if anything Trump is forcing the Dems to run to the right, not away from him. I’ll be honest, if the choice is a Pro Gun, Pro Life and Pro American worker candidate with a D after his name and a milquetoast Chamber of Commerce anti gun Republican (McCain, Flake, McConnell) what benefit is there pulling the R lever?
The benefit of pulling the R lever is the Republican party is pro gun, pro life pro American while the Democrat is just lying to you for your vote. He/She will go to DC and vote exactly as Nancy Pelosie/Chucky Schumer tell them to.
Because the MSM has been desperate to keep this "referendum on Trump" theme alive for EVERY election since NOV 2016, and when they actually win one (which has been rare), they have to ride it for as long as possible.
Trump famously tweeted to GOP leadership, "They don't know how to win. I will teach them." McConnell and Ryan didn't hear this but many Democrats did.
You can bet that 2018 will be a field of Democrat candidates speaking the same populist message Trump used to get elected. They'll be white males who talk a great game on guns and life, jobs, families, American greatness, etc. They'll disparage Pelosi and talk of a need for new, younger leadership.
And their Republican challengers will be the same type of establishment wanks that Donald Trump beat in the primary.
People here still think it's a Republican/Democrat country. We're not. Donald Trump won not because he ran as a Republican but in spite of it. We are a MAGA/Establishment country and there will be Dems who have heeded Trump's message and are using it to learn how to win.
The problem is that the D won’t vote that way.
He was not a pro life candidate. He personally is against abortion, but accepts it as law.