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Update: Democrat reportedly holds insurmountable lead in House special election

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Update: Democrat reportedly holds insurmountable lead in House special election

Official results from the special election in Pennsylvania's 18th Congressional District showed Democrat Conor Lamb leading Republican Rick Saccone by a fraction of a percentage point with all precincts reporting, but that tiny margin may be enough for an upset victory.

While election authorities have yet to officially declare a winner, The New York Times reported late in the day on March 14 that Lamb holds an insurmountable lead in the race.

The Democrat's apparent success came in a district that President Donald Trump won handily in the 2016 election and has a history of Republican representation.

With all the election-day votes counted, officials were still going through several thousands of absentee ballots. Lamb claimed victory ahead of any official announcement and before TV networks called the race, Reuters reported.

Earlier, a Reuters source familiar with Lamb's campaign said absentee ballots were expected to show Lamb winning the election by more than 400 votes. Saccone has yet to concede.

Both parties have been following this election closely, as Democrats hope to keep voter engagement strong through November, while Republicans are preparing for a tough series of elections for incumbents. The president's party historically does worse in midterm elections than the minority party.

Republicans had planned to tout their signature tax cuts throughout the special election but abandoned that strategy as election day drew closer, potentially raising questions about what messaging Republican incumbents will use in November.

The value of an endorsement and campaigning by President Trump has also been a Republican concern in the context of this special election, as it is unclear whether Trump's rally to support Saccone focused more on Trump's personal grievances against Democrats and media coverage, rather than what a Saccone victory would do for voters.