WASHINGTON �� President Donald Trump's nomination of two Republican congressmen to posts in his administration could set up special elections in two safe GOP House seats with large primary fields.
Trump announced his intent Friday to nominate Rep. Jim Bridenstine of Oklahoma to be administrator of NASA and Rep. Tom Marino of Pennsylvania to be director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy.
Bridenstine, a member of the House Freedom Caucus from Oklahoma's 1st Congressional District, was first elected in 2012 after defeating Republican incumbent John Sullivan in a primary. Bridenstine promised to abide by a three-term limit, so jockeying for this seat began early.
Marino, a former U.S. attorney for the Middle District of Pennsylvania under President George W. Bush, was first elected in 2010 when he defeated incumbent Democrat Christopher Carney.
The four-term lawmaker was an early congressional supporter of Trump's candidacy and his name had been mentioned for the drug policy job earlier this year. But in May, he withdrew from consideration citing a "critical illness" in his family. At the time, he'd said he planned to stay in Congress.
The race for Pennsylvania's 10th District is also rated Solid Republican. Trump carried the district by 36 points last fall, while Marino was coasting to re-election by 40 points.
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(Bridget Bowman contributed to this report.)
