Democrat Conor Lamb announced Wednesday that his Republican opponent, Rick Saccone, has conceded in the close special election last week for Pennsylvania’s 18th Congressional District.
“Just got off the phone with my opponent, @RickSaccone4PA, who congratulated me & graciously conceded last Tuesday’s election,” Lamb tweeted Wednesday. “I congratulate Mr. Saccone for a close, hard-fought race & wish him the best. Ready to be sworn in & get to work for the people of #PA18.”
Former Saccone campaign spokesman Patrick McCann said he had spoken to Saccone’s team Tuesday. “The tweet is accurate,” he said.
National Republican Congressional Committee spokesman Jesse Hunt also confirmed that Saccone had conceded.
The concession means Democrats have won their biggest House victory since President Donald Trump took office — gaining a seat in a deep-red district that Trump had won by 20 percentage points in the 2016 election.
Lamb led Saccone by more than 600 votes in the latest count in the Pittsburgh-area race, which took place eight days ago.
But provisional and military ballots could still be returned through March 20, and Saccone’s campaign had considered asking for a recount.
Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court recently ruled that the state’s congressional districts were gerrymandered and put a new map in place for November’s midterm elections, which means the 18th District will only exist in its current form for a few more months.
Lamb and Saccone will be on the ballot again this year, but not against each other. Lamb is running for re-election against Republican Rep. Keith Rothfus in the suburbs west of Pittsburgh in what’ll become the 17th District, while Saccone is running for rural southwestern Pennsylvania’s new 14th District.
