Mar 15, 2018 By Mike Jones regional Editor mjones@observer-Reporter.Com 2 min read

March came in like a lion and will go out with a Lamb in Congress.

With all precincts and absentee ballots counted across the 18th Congressional District, Democrat Conor Lamb was listed as the unofficial winner of March 13 special election over Republican Rick Saccone.

Lamb declared victory in the 18th District special election in a late-night announcement to supporters at Hilton Garden Inn, Southpointe.

“It took a little while longer than we thought, but we did it,” Lamb said while clinging to a 579-vote lead four hours after the polls closed.

But Washington County’s nearly 1,200 absentee vote total showed Lamb winning an additional 62 votes. The 202 absentee ballots in Greene County benefited Saccone by only 11, not nearly enough to close the gap. With all provisional and absentee ballots counted as of March 19, Lamb has a 671-vote lead with 113,987 votes to Saccone’s 113,316 votes.

Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chairman Jack Hanna issued a statement congratulating Lamb, noting that Democrats prevailed in a district that Donald Trump won by nearly 20 points.

“Let it be known that the Blue Wave of 2018 began in Pennsylvania with Conor’s victory,” Hanna said. “And this is only the beginning of the wave.”

A little more than 100 military ballots still must be counted March 21, but they are not expected to change the outcome.

All four counties in the 18th District began canvassing March 16 to finalize the results, but only Allegheny County had yet to finish by March 20. The county elections boards then must certify the results.

Republican Party officials have hinted they may challenge the results.

It was not known if Saccone’s campaign would challenge the results. A campaign spokesperson did not return a phone call seeking comment.

Staff writer Barbara S. Miller contributed to this story.