ELECTION/GOP/HOUSE OF REPS/PENNSYLVANIA/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Voters head to the polls on Tuesday [5-14-18] in crucial party primaries in Pennsylvania, a state that has become central to Democrats’ hopes of retaking control of the U.S. House of Representatives.The state offers Democrats the opportunity to pick up as many as five seats from Republicans in congressional elections in November, analysts said. Democrats need a net total of 23 to assume the House majority, which would likely derail Republican President Donald Trump’s policy agenda. Pennsylvania’s politics were thrown into turmoil earlier this year when the state Supreme Court found that the current congressional districts had been unconstitutionally tailored to favor Republicans. The redrawn map has made some districts more competitive. In addition, six incumbent House Republicans are not running for re-election, further scrambling the races and requiring voters to become familiar with a raft of first-time candidates. Some 81 candidates are running for 18 congressional seats, including 10 Democrats in a single race.”
-James Oliphant, “Pennsylvania primaries could herald shift of power in U.S. House,” Reuters, May 15, 2018 3:04 am