Washington County absentee ballots pad Lamb’s lead
Barbara S. Miller/Observer-Reporter
Trays of absentee ballots await processing and counting at the Washington County elections office early Wednesday.
John Santa/Observer-Reporter
Conor Lamb declares victory at the Hilton Garden Inn in Southpointe in this file photo from May 2018.
Troy Breese of the Washington County elections office prepares absentee ballots for counting after midnight Wednesday.
Conor Lamb speaks to his supporters on election night.
In a count of absentee ballots completed in the pre-dawn hours today, Democrat Conor Lamb solidified his slender margin over Republican Rick Saccone in the hotly contested 18th Congressional District special election.
Washington County Commission Chairman Larry Maggi, who is also in charge of the county election board, revealed the numbers: Lamb, 609; Saccone, 547.
Absentee ballots from Allegheny and Westmoreland counties were tabulated Tuesday night and earlier Wednesday, leaving only 203 absentee ballots from Greene County to be added to candidate totals.
Lamb declared victory in the 18th District special election in a late-night announcement to his supporters at Hilton Garden Inn at Southpointe..
“It took a little while longer than we thought, but we did it,” Lamb said.
The Associated Press has not called the race. Unofficial returns show Lamb with a total of 113,111 votes, to 112,532 for Saccone.
Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chairman Jack Hanna issued a statement congratulating Lamb, noting that “Democrats prevailed in a district that Donald Trump won by 20 points.
“Let it be known that the Blue Wave of 2018 began in Pennsylvania with Conor’s victory. And this is only the beginning of the wave.”
This story is still developing. Check back for further updates.