Pennsylvania State Rep. Fred Keller won the Pennsylvania House 12th district special election, according to the New York Times.

Keller defeated Democrat and professor at Penn State University Marc Friedenberg in a special election Tuesday. The congressional seat became vacant after former Rep. Tom Marino (R-PA), who easily beat Friedenberg in the 2018 midterm elections, resigned less than one month into this term.

The Pennsylvania Republican’s victory serves President Donald Trump as well. Trump held a rally in Pennsylvania on Monday.

Ahead of the election, Trump said he endorsed Keller and contended that the election would serve as a referendum on his presidential administration. – READ MORE </s> HARRISBURG — A heavily Republican swath of central and northern Pennsylvania has a new congressman to represent it in Washington.

Republican state lawmaker Fred Keller, of Snyder County, won Tuesday's special election to replace Republican Tom Marino, who resigned in January.

Keller beat Democrat Marc Friedenberg in the 12th District and ran with the support of President Donald Trump.

The 53-year-old Keller is a fifth-term state lawmaker. He's one of the state House's most conservative members, with a 90% lifetime rating by the American Conservative Union.

Friedenberg is a lawyer and Penn State information technology instructor. He lost November's election to Marino by 32 percentage points.

The district covers all or parts of 15 counties. </s> Republican state lawmaker Fred Keller easily won the vacant U.S. House election in a special election in Pennsylvania Tuesday night, the PA Post reports. </s> Pennsylvania state Rep. Fred Keller was projected to easily defeat Democrat Marc Friedenberg in Tuesday's special election to represent the Keystone State's 12th District in the House of Representatives.

With 48 percent of precincts reporting, Keller had received 72 percent of the vote, compared to 28 percent for Friedenberg.

Keller would complete the two-year term begun by Republican Tom Marino, who resigned in January, just three weeks into his fifth House term. With Keller's victory, the House comprises 235 Democrats and 198 Republicans. Two seats in North Carolina are vacant pending the outcome of special elections later this year.

TRUMP WILL WIN PENNSYLVANIA AGAIN IN 2020, AND BY LARGER MARGIN, EX-GOP LAWMAKER SAYS

Tuesday's result is no surprise, as the 12th District is solidly Republican and voters there backed Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election by a margin of better than 2 to 1 over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Trump himself urged his supporters to back Keller at a Monday night rally in Montoursville, telling the fifth-term state legislator, "We've got to win tomorrow, Fred." He endorsed Keller on Twitter earlier Tuesday, calling the Republican "Strong on Crime, Second Amendment, Military, Vets, and Healthcare," and saying Keller had "my Complete and Total Endorsement!"

Keller reciprocated Trump's support Monday night, offering a rousing endorsement of the president and vowing to support his policies in Congress, saying the people of the district "have been behind you since Day One, and, Mr. President, our support for you is as strong today as it ever was."

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He also said, "In 2016, Pennsylvania put Donald Trump over the top, and in 2020, we're going to do it again."

Friedenberg, a lawyer and information technology instructor at Penn State University, ran against Marino in last year's midterm elections and lost by 32 points.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. </s> Pennsylvania state Rep. Fred Keller was projected to easily defeat Democrat Marc Friedenberg in Tuesday’s special election to represent the Keystone State’s 12th District in the House of Representatives.

With 48 percent of precincts reporting, Keller had received 72 percent of the vote, compared to 28 percent for Friedenberg.

Keller would complete the two-year term begun by Republican Tom Marino, who resigned in January, just three weeks into his fifth House term. With Keller’s victory, the House comprises 235 Democrats and 198 Republicans. Two seats in North Carolina are vacant pending the outcome of special elections later this year.

TRUMP WILL WIN PENNSYLVANIA AGAIN IN 2020, AND BY LARGER MARGIN, EX-GOP LAWMAKER SAYS

Tuesday’s result is no surprise, as the 12th District is solidly Republican and voters there backed Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election by a margin of better than 2 to 1 over Democrat Hillary Clinton.

Trump himself urged his supporters to back Keller at a Monday night rally in Montoursville, telling the fifth-term state legislator, “We’ve got to win tomorrow, Fred.” He endorsed Keller on Twitter earlier Tuesday, calling the Republican “Strong on Crime, Second Amendment, Military, Vets, and Healthcare,” and saying Keller had “my Complete and Total Endorsement!”

Keller reciprocated Trump’s support Monday night, offering a rousing endorsement of the president and vowing to support his policies in Congress, saying the people of the district “have been behind you since Day One, and, Mr. President, our support for you is as strong today as it ever was.”

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

He also said, “In 2016, Pennsylvania put Donald Trump over the top, and in 2020, we’re going to do it again.”

Friedenberg, a lawyer and information technology instructor at Penn State University, ran against Marino in last year’s midterm elections and lost by 32 points.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. </s> May 22 (UPI) -- Republican Fred Keller became the newest member of the U.S. House late Tuesday, winning a special election in Pennsylvania to fill a seat that's been vacant for four months.

Keller, running in a solidly Republican district, defeated Democrat Marc Friedenberg with 68 percent of the vote. The seat has been open since Republican Tom Marino left Congress at the end of January. Keller will serve out the remainder of Marino's term, which ends in 2021.

President Donald Trump stumped for Keller, having won 66 percent of the district's votes in 2016. Winning Pennsylvania was key for Trump's election and the state is expected to be critical for his re-election bid next year.

"Great news for Republicans: Fred Keller has just won the hard fought for Pennsylvania Congressional contest in a landslide, over 70 percent of the vote," Trump tweeted.

Keller had served in the Pennsylvania legislature for five terms, starting in 2010.

Keller's was one of several races in Pennsylvania Tuesday.

Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney won a three-way Democratic primary in his bid for re-election. As the city is a longtime Democratic stronghold, the win virtually assures Kenney another term. Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala, Pittsburgh's top prosecutor, fended off a primary challenge. Republicans also held onto three state legislative seats. </s> Pennsylvania State Rep. Fred Keller won the Pennsylvania House 12th district special election, according to the New York Times.

Keller defeated Democrat and professor at Penn State University Marc Friedenberg in a special election Tuesday. The congressional seat became vacant after former Rep. Tom Marino (R-PA), who easily beat Friedenberg in the 2018 midterm elections, resigned less than one month into this term.

The Pennsylvania Republican’s victory serves President Donald Trump as well. Trump held a rally in Pennsylvania on Monday.

Ahead of the election, Trump said he endorsed Keller and contended that the election would serve as a referendum on his presidential administration.

“Go get em, Fred,” Trump told Keller on Monday. “It’s a little bit of a referendum.” President Trump then said that if Keller wins the special election, the media will not widely report the story; however, if Keller loses the election, Trump said that they will play it up as one of the biggest political events in recent memory.

Keller’s victory could also serve as a referendum on Trump’s vs former Vice President Joe Biden’s popularity in Pennsylvania.

During the rally on Monday, Trump reminded Pennsylvanians that Biden abandoned them to become a senator in Delaware.

“Don’t forget, Biden deserted you, he’s not from Pennsylvania, I guess he was born here, but he left you, folks, he left you for another state,” Trump said.

“He left you for another state, and he didn’t take care of you because he didn’t take care of your jobs,” Trump added. “He let other countries come in and rip off America.” </s> Republican state lawmaker Fred Keller wins U.S. House election in Pennsylvania, replacing GOP congressman who resigned

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Republican state lawmaker Fred Keller wins U.S. House election in Pennsylvania, replacing GOP congressman who resigned. </s> Keller, a five-term state lawmaker and lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, was largely expected to best Friedenberg, a lawyer and cybersecurity professor at Penn State. The heavily Republican district represents a wide swath of northern and central Pennsylvania.

Trump publicly backed Keller, tweeting his endorsement several times this month.

"Pennsylvania - Don't forget to get out and VOTE TODAY for Republican Fred Keller for Congress," he tweeted Tuesday morning. "Fred is Strong on Crime, Second Amendment, Military, Vets, and Healthcare. He has my Complete and Total Endorsement!"
Republican Fred Keller wins the special election against his Democratic opponent Marc Friedenberg.