Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., is convinced that Pennsylvania voters who elected a Democrat in this week's special House election are trying to tell the GOP something — and the party needs to start listening.
"I mean we lost. We were supposed to win. It was a fairly safe Republican district," Kennedy said on CNN's "New Day" Thursday morning. "I think the voters, at least in that district, are trying to tell us something, and we ought to listen. I don't think we ought to insult the American people and try to spin it."
Democrat Conor Lamb beat Republican Rick Saccone Tuesday night in a close race. President Donald Trump carried the district by almost 20 points in the 2016 election, and Republican Tim Murphy represented the voters there from 2003-2017.
Kennedy said he's not sure what voters are trying to convey, only that Republicans need to put their ears to the ground.
"People smarter than me will figure it out. I hope once they do figure it out that all of us, especially Republicans, but including Democrats, will pay attention," he said. "Some of them are gonna say that it's turnout. I know that. Others are gonna say, well, all politics is local. That's not true. Some politics is local.
"But in a federal race, what's going on in Washington, D.C. matters. We need to listen to this. It's important politically, but I think it's also important, hey, the American people are trying to tell us something."
There is now talk that Lamb's victory could be an indicator that Republicans may lose their majority in the House and/or the Senate this fall.
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