These days, all elections are huge news. And just about all elections are close. The special election in Pennsylvania’s 18th Congressional District was not an exception to either rule, as cable news outlets provided nonstop coverage for hours on Tuesday night, but it took until midday Wednesday to officially declare Democrat Conor Lamb’s upset victory (by 627 votes) in a region that votes heavily GOP.

+ Ron Brownstein with a look at the broader messages associated with this race.