Here’s a guy having a meltdown:
Pennsylvania state Rep. Rick Saccone, the Republican candidate in the special election for Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District, reportedly accused the Democratic party of being galvanized by "hatred for our country" and "hatred for God," during a rally in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania on Monday.
Saccone, who was endorsed by and campaigned with President Donald Trump on Saturday, continued the campaign trail with Donald Trump Jr. on the eve of the election.
"They say the other side is energized," Saccone reportedly said. "Let me tell you, they're energized for hate for our president. They have a hatred for our president."
Saccone then suggested that liberals founded their ideals on the basis of hating religion and the US.
"I've talked to so many of these on the left," Saccone said. "And they have a hatred for our president. I tell you, many of them have a hatred for our country."
"I'll tell you some more — my wife and I saw it again today, they have a hatred for God," Saccone continued.
Of course, he’s having a meltdown because he’s losing to Conor Lamb (D. PA-18). Plus, Trump may not be enough for him to win:
The visits were part of a desperate, multi-million dollar Hail Mary by the national Republican Party to avoid another embarrassing loss ahead of this fall’s midterms. The race should be Saccone’s for the taking. The 18th district is a region of shuttered coal mines and steel mills that went for Trump by nearly 20 points in the 2016 presidential election. But Saccone, a 60-year-old Christian conservative who once dubbed himself “Trump before Trump was Trump,” is trailing his opponent, moderate Democrat Conor Lamb, by six points a day ahead of the vote, according to a Monmouth University poll released Monday. According to Politico, Republicans have spent $8 million on television ads alone in the state, twice as much as the Democrats have.
“They’re trying to stave off what the Democrats see as momentum,” Republican strategist Doug Heye says of the Republican push for Saccone. “We tend to over-inflate the meaning of special elections. But in this case, we’ve seen more than twice as many House Republican retirements as Democrats, and we’re hearing lots of concern that if we lose this seat as well, we could see six or seven members pull the plug in the next week.”
Meanwhile, the national media has descended upon the coal towns outside Pittsburgh to cover the election. And the locals — the retired and laid-off miners and steelworkers who have a steep personal investment in the outcome of this race — find themselves annoyed by all the noise.
“This is supposed to be about a congressional race here—what’s important is food stamps, Family and Medical Leave—and it’s all Trump, Trump, Trump!” says Tony Ross, an unemployed steel worker who ventured to the candy shop to see what the commotion was about. He identifies politically as an independent. “It’s like, two scoops of ice cream for Trump, one scoop for the candidate. Isn’t there something wrong with this picture? $11 million dollars, and it’s all about Trump!”
This resentment is shared by Republican political operatives. Last week, Politico cited more than 20 party officials and strategists who bemoaned Saccone’s failings as a candidate. Lamb has raised nearly $4 million dollars; Saccone can boast just one-fifth of that, and has relied heavily on Republican outside groups to bankroll much of his campaign.
“This is supposed to be about a congressional race here—what’s important is food stamps, Family and Medical Leave—and it’s all Trump, Trump, Trump!” says Tony Ross, an unemployed steel worker who ventured to the candy shop to see what the commotion was about. He identifies politically as an independent. “It’s like, two scoops of ice cream for Trump, one scoop for the candidate. Isn’t there something wrong with this picture? $11 million dollars, and it’s all about Trump!”
This resentment is shared by Republican political operatives. Last week, Politico cited more than 20 party officials and strategists who bemoaned Saccone’s failings as a candidate. Lamb has raised nearly $4 million dollars; Saccone can boast just one-fifth of that, and has relied heavily on Republican outside groups to bankroll much of his campaign.
But if Trump can't help, who knows if the NRA's last-minute attempt will save Saccone:
The National Rifle Association has engaged in an under-the-radar spending campaign for Republican candidate Rick Saccone in Pennsylvania’s Tuesday special election.
It is the only federal political spending the pro-gun group has reported since the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., according to FEC reports.
The NRA spent $7,868 in support of Saccone but the money wasn’t seen in a high-profile venture like TV ads or get-out-the-vote efforts. Most of it - $7,532 - was spent on mailings scheduled to be distributed in the district on Monday. The remaining $336 was spent on phone banking earlier this month, according to campaign finance filings.
The group confirmed the existence of the mailer to ABC News but declined to describe it or where it was sent in the 18th Congressional District. The NRA has endorsed Saccone, who has an A+ rating from the group, and has donated $2,450 to his campaign.
Let’s seal the deal and win this damn race! Click here to donate and get involved with Lamb’s campaign.