Trump lends White House weight to House race in Pennsylvania

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is lending the weight of the White House to a congressional candidate who hopes to keep a Pittsburgh-area House seat in Republican hands.

Trump plans a rally in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, on Saturday night for Rick Saccone (suh-KOHN'), a state representative in a tight race against Democrat Conor Lamb, a former Marine and federal prosecutor who's never run for office before.

The election is Tuesday.

Trump easily won the district in the 2016 presidential race. And the former eight-term incumbent, Tim Murphy, never had a close election, and didn't even have a Democratic challenger in his last two elections.

Murphy quit last fall after his hometown newspaper reported he had suggested a mistress get an abortion when they thought she might be pregnant.

The contest is being closely watched as a harbinger of Republicans' prospects in the November elections when the GOP tries to retain its congressional majority.

Trump tweeted on Saturday that he was heading to Pennsylvania "to be with a really good person" in Saccone and he expected a "Big & happy crowd (why not, some of the best economic numbers ever). Rick will help me a lot. Also, tough on crime & border. Loves 2nd A & VETS."