{"id":60094,"date":"2018-03-06T05:02:40","date_gmt":"2018-03-06T05:02:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/?p=60094"},"modified":"2018-03-06T05:02:40","modified_gmt":"2018-03-06T05:02:40","slug":"trumps-tariff-threat-may-be-timed-for-pennsylvania-u-s-house-race","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biphoo.com\/bipnews\/news\/trumps-tariff-threat-may-be-timed-for-pennsylvania-u-s-house-race.html","title":{"rendered":"Trump’s tariff threat may be timed for Pennsylvania U.S. House race"},"content":{"rendered":"

Trump’s tariff threat may be timed for Pennsylvania U.S. House race<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

President Donald Trump has alarmed the Republican establishment and world leaders by threatening tough steel tariffs, a message that might be meant not just to shake the world trade order but to help defend a congressional seat in Pennsylvania.<\/span><\/p>\n

Some Republican strategists said Trump\u2019s tariff threat appeared to be timed, at least in part, to sway voters in the steel country of Pennsylvania, including its 18th District where Republican Rick Saccone and Democrat Conor Lamb are facing off.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a special election on March 13, the two will vie to replace Republican Tim Murphy, who resigned in October in a sex scandal. If Saccone loses, it would be a blow to Trump, the first loss by Republicans of a seat in the House of Representatives since he took office in January 2017. The results will not affect Republican control of the chamber.<\/span><\/p>\n

Trump has endorsed Saccone and is scheduled to visit the Pittsburgh area on Saturday for a campaign event. Saccone met Trump on arrival for a similar event in January.<\/span><\/p>\n

Republican strategist Ford O\u2019Connell said Trump\u2019s stance on steel and aluminum tariffs could help Republicans, not only in southwestern Pennsylvania, but across the industrial Midwest.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe timing definitely helps Saccone,\u201d O\u2019Connell said.<\/span><\/p>\n

The 18th District covers steel, farm and coal country on the West Virginia border, as well as well-to-do Pittsburgh suburbs. Trump won the district by nearly 20 points in the November 2016 presidential election, helping him carry the pivotal battleground state.<\/span><\/p>\n

But in recent political races in other states, Democrats, upset by Trump policies, have been energized to turn out to vote. In the Pennsylvania race, Lamb is rising in the polls and is neck and neck with Saccone, who has said: \u201cI was Trump before Trump was Trump.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Peter Navarro, the White House trade and manufacturing policy director, defended Trump\u2019s trade plan on Fox Business Network\u2019s \u201cVarney & Co.\u201d show on Monday. \u201cOf course, if you go to Ohio or Pennsylvania, or you go to the heartland of American Main Street, there\u2019s universal support,\u201d he said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Trump threatened to impose 25 percent steel and 10 percent aluminum tariffs in an announcement on Thursday, prompting a steep stock sell-off and expressions of concern about a possible trade war from Washington to foreign capitals.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2018THIS IS A WINNER\u2019<\/span>
\nEstablishment Republicans should not be surprised that Trump is following through on his tough-on-trade campaign pledge, said Chris Barron, a pro-Trump Republican strategist.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf Republicans are going to hold on to the majority in the House, they need to hold on in places like Pennsylvania. This is a winner,\u201d he said, adding the rally on Saturday would be good for Trump, who will get positive feedback from the crowd.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be hard to talk the president back from that, because he\u2019s going to feel first-hand that support from those grassroots working-class voters,\u201d Barron said.<\/span><\/p>\n

Democrats said the tariff issue would likely be a factor in the 18th District race, but one that would cut two ways.<\/span><\/p>\n

Pennsylvania Democratic strategist Mike Mikus said: \u201cThe issue of steel tariffs is a very popular idea here in western Pennsylvania. However, I don\u2019t believe it will be enough to help Rick Saccone in this election. I don\u2019t view it as a game-changer because the issue has been championed by Democrats for so long.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Republican strategist Mike DeVanney said tariff rhetoric may help Saccone, but that any boost could be muted in the diverse district.<\/span><\/p>\n

He added that the president\u2019s comments could backfire. \u201cIt\u2019s not without risks in equally energizing Lamb\u2019s base,\u201d DeVanney said. \u201cPresident Trump is obviously a figure who can energize and divide, depending on who\u2019s listening.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Source:-\u00a0https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/article\/us-usa-election-pennsylvania-trade\/trumps-tariff-threat-may-be-timed-for-pennsylvania-u-s-house-race-idUSKBN1GI00L<\/span><\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t <\/div><\/div>\n\t\t