'17 Specials & '18 Midterms Thread

There aren’t many Democrats like John Morganelli running for Congress in 2018. The longtime Northampton County district attorney opposes abortion, vilifies “illegal aliens” and sought a job in the Trump administration. Still, he’s arguably the front-runner in the 7th District Democratic primary. Plenty of Democrats would prefer someone more liberal — the problem is that they can’t agree on whom. Emily’s List is backing Allentown City Solicitor Susan Wild, while Bernie Sanders has stumped for pastor Greg Edwards, who has also raised the most cash. Some observers believe Morganelli would help Democrats win back working-class voters in this evenly split (D+0.04) district, but the 7th District is a bit like the 1st: It’s swingy enough that a more conservative Democratic nominee might have an advantage, but it’s not red enough that a liberal nominee would be at much of a handicap (especially in a Democratic-leaning environment). Republicans, meanwhile, will choose between Marty Nothstein, who won an Olympic gold medal in cycling in 2000, and former Lehigh County Commissioner Dean Browning.

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Demonwolverine said:

I'm not crazy about Democratic Socialism being the answer to Trumpism. I know that's how backlashes work, but it seems dangerously close to becoming the tea party of the left, if it isn't already. It might work, but it certainly isn't comforting.

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ImTheCaptain said:

well, i did my part and didn't vote for any of them

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The man she’s challenging, Dom Costa, was first elected to the statehouse in 2008 and is well known for his career in law enforcement, which culminated in 2006 with a 9-month stint as Pittsburgh’s chief of police. In 1997, Costa was formally reprimanded for his role in an incident in which fumes escaped from an abandoned house SWAT team members were using for tear gas training, sending at least 17 residents of a predominately African-American neighborhood to hospitals and sparking a federal civil rights suit. In 2002, Costa and another officer were shot in the line of duty following an armed standoff. An internal review found that his actions on the scene had violated 10 department regulations, and it recommended a 10-day suspension. He retired from the force on medical leave before any formal disciplinary action took place; parts of the bullet are still in his neck today.

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