Good Tuesday Morning, Fellow Seekers.

With the November midterms now less seven weeks away, national Republicans are starting to make some tough calls about the places - and races - where they're going to spend increasingly critical resources.

Among them is the race for Pennsylvania's 17th Congressional District, which pits two incumbent congressmen, Democrat Conor Lamb and Republican Keith Rothfus, in a winner-take-all match this fall.

U.S. Rep. Keith Rothfus (R) PennLive file

Lamb, who won a high-profile special election in March, has been seen as the favorite to win in a redrawn seat that Rothfus, a Donald Trump loyalist, has held since 2012. The new district is a +2.5 seat for Trump, compared the the +20 seat it had been in 2016.

Lamb holds a polling advantage and the Cook Political Report now has the seat listed as 'lean Democratic' in its most recent round of rankings.

Put all those factors together, and that means that Rothfus is among three House Republicans most at-risk of having the flow of money cut off as the national GOP looks to defend its 23-seat majority in the U.S. House.

"This is the time of year when tough decisions have to be made," Ken Spain, a former top National Republican Congressional Committee staffer, told Politico late last week. "There are likely going to be a number of unhappy Republican members of Congress in the coming weeks."

GOP officials have reserved "millions of dollars" in future advertising in the 17th District, which is seen as a 2020 bellwether in a state that Trump carried by 44,000 votes two years ago.

But, as Politico also notes, that money isn't guaranteed, and may be shifted to seats the GOP believes it has a better chance of holding.

"At this point in the cycle with a field this large, difficult choices will have to be made," Brian Walsh, of the pro-Trump America First Action super PAC, told Politico. "Such is the world we live in now."

Adds Phil English, a former GOP congressman from Erie who once worked on the House Republicans' re-election efforts: "The NRCC isn't going to be able to help those who haven't helped themselves. These are very Darwinian decisions. It means selection of the fittest."

The rest of the day's news starts now.

PennLive's Ivey DeJesus examines whether the Catholic church can be charged for racketeering.

Meanwhile, contract talks are ongoing for Catholic high school teachers in Philly, The Inquirer reports.

The Post-Gazette previews the relentless march of sports betting in Pennsylvania.

A western Pennsylvania Republican has resigned her position after posting racist comments on Facebook about kneeling NFL players, The Associated Press reports.

The Tribune-Review profiles a W.Pa biker who's working to raise funds, awareness for prostate cancer.

BillyPenn takes you inside the creation of street art in Philadelphia.

The Incline looks at Pittsburgh's first city budget, post-Act 47.

For our western Pa. readers, here's a #Pittsburgh Instagram of the Day to get Tuesday rolling.

WHYY-FM explains why the Kavanaugh hearings are a major test for U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.

The Trump administration's clean air rollback will hit coal country hard, The Associated Press reports (via WITF-FM).

There's a debate over debates in the Erie-based 3rd Congressional District, The Times-News reports.

The Morning Call has its own synopsis of the day's political headlines.

Speaking of Keith Rothfus, he's on the air with a new ad touting his experience on healthcare issues (via PoliticsPA).

Roll Call previews 'Kavanaugh Week' on Capitol Hill.

What Goes On (Nakedly Political Edition).

GOP Guv candidate Scott Wagner holds a 6 p.m. reception at the Colonial Golf & Tennis Club in lovely Linglestown this evening. Admission is a mere $1,000 a head.

You Say It's Your Birthday Dept.

Best wishes go out this morning to Pennsylvania Cable Network head honcho Brian Lockman, and to Bryce Connor, guitarist extraordinaire for Harrisburg pop-rockers The Jellybricks. Congrats and enjoy the day, gents.

Heavy Rotation.

Speaking of

The Jellybricks,

here's one of our fave '

Bricks

tunes. It's

'Can't Be Wrong.'

And now you're up to date.