Trump’s first electoral test sees the Republicans holding on in Kansas with a majority down 20%
GOP holds on in Kansas by-election in President Trump's 1st electoral test. Maj down from 27% to 7.2% https://t.co/pSBHzlzf8V pic.twitter.com/nvPaHl9YFv
— Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) April 12, 2017
The margin down from 27% to 7.2%
If the Democrats are to make a dent on the Republican following last year’s presidential election then they are going to need to make 24 gains which would take away the GOP majority in Congress.
An opportunity arose last night with a by-election in a Kansas congressional district to fill the seat created by the appointment of Trump’s new CIA director. This was carried by the Republicans last November by 27%.
They failed but were not too far off and the margin of just 7.2% suggests that other battles in the coming months could be tight.
The victory for the Republicans followed polling that suggested that the seat could be in jeopardy and the party blasted voters with thousands of automated phone calls from the President which sought to attack the Democratic candidate’s abortion policies.
There is another special election for the House next week in Georgia which was won by the Republicans last November by just one point. Based on the swing in Kansas then the Democrats will be expecting victory.