National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chairman Steve Stivers is putting national attention to Congressman Ryan Costello’s race next year.
“I think of our seats, if you want to look at kind of a bellwether, it’d probably be Ryan Costello,” Stivers told PoliticoPro.
“If [Democrats] win in Pennsylvania against Ryan Costello, they’ve got a shot to take the majority”
Costello’s seat is one of four Republicans targeted by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) for next year. The district is one of two of the targeted seats that Clinton won in 2016, winning by 0.6 points. Costello won the seat by 14 points in that election though.
The southeastern Pennsylvania district is likely to be a battleground district with two challengers already entering the race on the Democratic side, and one who is drawing most of the attention of national Republicans and Democrats.
“[Costello’s] a great young member, a rising star, but he’s got a strong challenger and I would pay attention to that race,” Stivers said.
National Democrats are touting Costello’s opponent as well.
“Chrissy Houlahan’s background as a veteran and business leader make her an exceptionally strong candidate, and a much better fit for this district than a career politician like Costello,” DCCC Spokesman Evan Lukaske said in an email.
The DCCC is also taking the quote by Stivers as a sign Costello is vulnerable next year.
“NRCC Chairman Stivers is right to be concerned about Representative Costello’s increasingly vulnerable position,” Lukaske said.
Costello’s campaign pointed to the history of Democrats targeting the seat, and Costello’s push to win next year.
“PA6 has been a target for Nancy Pelosi and Washington liberals for nearly two decades. I expect this cycle will be no different. Congressman Costello’s campaign is prepared to defeat whichever Democrat emerges from next year’s Primary Election,” Vincent Galko, a Senior Adviser to Costello’s campaign said in an email.
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10 Responses
Bye bye Ryan bye bye Ryan – we’ll be glad to have a choice – no pun intended. For years SE PA has had the 3 stooges- Meehan, Fitzpatrick, and Ryan/jumbo gerlech– along with that nut case- Charlie Dent— they have been political hacks and pimps for Boehner and Ryan-2 of the worst Congressional leaders of either party. They have sold out Trump, stand for little- and this year even this Shady Lady would be better.
As I said BYE BYE Ryan- Costello and Payl
Yo boobie, First of all. You said three stooges and then named five people. Then you argued that they worked with the speakers of the house…I sure as heck hope they worked with the leaders of their party in Congress? Do you not work with your supervisors at work? This may have been the dumbest comment in the history of PoliticsPA which is surely saying something.
Don’t know how I feel about Chrissy Houlahan yet, although it is very early for her. She reminds me far too much of Katie McGinty. Just like Katie, she has no real platform (I am all for opposing Trump, she has not talked about a single issue) and she will let the state party dictate what she does. Just like Shady Katie, she is a Corporate Wall Street Democrat in the form of Hillary Clinton that often times are much more corrupt than even the GOP. And just like Shady Katie, I feel as though the PA Dems will do all they can to push her across the primary line which, I’m sure, will be a competitive one. PLEASE let’s get some real democrats in office. Not Chrissy McGinty.
Houlahan is not the real Dem candidate here. She is FAR TOO LIBERAL for PA-6 demographically. She is Hillary Clinton level Pro-Choice, she supports single-payer health care, she wants to raise individual taxes by huge margins, this just won’t fly down there. Mike Parrish is apparently running again, and his platform is muchhhhh, much better for PA-6 as a Dem.
Water is wet. The sun rises in the East. Southeastern PA congressional districts are competitive. When did this become news?
A Republican in Washington said something true out loud. That’s the big story here.
GOP has been cheating in Congressional elections better than Russians ever could, as per such illegal districts. When do the courts wake up and DO THEIR JOB?
This PA6 map should be posted right next to gerrymander in the dictionary.
So? The word “gerrymandering” gets its provenance from Elbridge Gerry, one of the signers of the Declaration. No way it will be changed after 200 years. The only ones who complain are the ones not prescient enough to focus on winning the political offices that set the district boundaries.
Costello WILL LOSE HIS SEAT.