text: My (uninformed) expectation is that 94 goes D on the recount, 40 stays R. 88 ends up R, it isn't particularly close. But, if 28 and 88 are both held up, in the meantime, the Democrats could potentially control the House.
  The next month or two could be a great opportunity to push the Medicaid expansion through the Virginia legislature, if the Dems have the House of Delegates and can find one Republican (state) Senator to work with them. 400,000 Virginians would get healthcare if Virginia takes the Medicaid expansion and horrible things like people waiting all night for an annual free medical treatment weekend (account in the New York Times, the Roanoke Times, the Richmond Times-Dispatch) would be a thing of an evil and heartless past.
  Meanwhile, in West Virginia: A coal baron who escaped real consequences for the deaths of 29 workers will run for U.S. Senate in West Virginia.
  According to the WaPo, democrats have officially filed for recounts in house districts 40 and 94. There is still time to file for a recount in the 28th where the ballot screwup happened.
  The losing Democrats candidates in all three disputed races have been attending orientation sessions for new lawmakers in case they eventually win.
  GOP has apparently filed for a recount in HD-68. This seems kind of nuts - it's a 336 vote gap, about 0.86%. That's not *impossible* to make up, I guess, but very much on the high side. And it's in the range where the requester pays. I would suspect some sort of strategery, but I'm not sure how that would work.
  VA HOD - Cole has filed for a recount in the 28th. That gives us three Dem-originated recounts (28, 40, 94) and the oddball GOP-originated recount in the 68th.
  Is there an upcoming Pennsylvania special election for the US House of Representatives? I can find nothing in Ballotpedia. I thought there was the possibility of two and then one Rep didn't resign to take a job in the Trump regime.
  Yes: there's an election on March 13, 2018 for PA-18 to replace Tim Murphy (who resigned in disgrace in October). The Democratic candidate is Connor Lamb.
  
  Hypertherm has strengthened its position in the waterjet cutting market with the acquisition of OMAX. The transaction is expected to close in early April.
  Upon completion of the deal, Kent, Wash.-based OMAX will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Hypertherm, Hanover, N.H. OMAX’s direct drive pumps, software, and applications technologies will combine with Hypertherm’s complementary portfolio of intensifier-based pumps and abrasive recycling systems, to form the industry’s leading waterjet technology offering.
  “When the late Dr. Olsen and I founded OMAX 25 years ago, our goal was to combine new motion control technology with software to create an abrasive waterjet system unlike anything else on the market. We more than succeeded, creating one of the world’s top waterjet manufacturers,” said John Cheung, co-founder and CEO of OMAX. “In planning for this future, we wanted to partner with a company that shared our values and vision.”
  “Hypertherm is excited to welcome OMAX to our family and to bring together the leading waterjet R&D and engineering team in the world with our hardworking and talented waterjet team in Minnesota,” said Hypertherm president and CEO Evan Smith. “We are confident the combination of OMAX’s cutting-edge technology and solutions, innovation focus, strong brand name, commitment to customers, and excellent culture is a perfect complement to Hypertherm’s waterjet offerings and plasma cutting industry leadership position.”