It's Official: Toomey Challenging Specter In 2010 Senate Primary
Former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-PA) has made it official: He is running in the 2010 Senate primary against moderate GOP incumbent Arlen Specter, who he very nearly defeated in the last primary in 2004 -- a development that may well increase the chances of the Democrats picking up this seat.
Said Toomey: "Pennsylvanians deserve a voice in the U.S. Senate that will honor our values and fight for limited government, individual freedom and fiscal responsibility. I will be that voice." Toomey stepped down Monday from his position as head of the Club For Growth, which fueled his campaign last time, pretty much a giveaway that he was about to announce his candidacy.
Toomey only lost the 2004 primary by a 51%-49% margin, when Specter had the full backing of the White House. While Specter does indeed have NRSC backing this time around, the base of registered GOP voters in this closed-primary state has become smaller and more conservative. And it's a safe bet that Toomey will hammer Specter on his vote for the stimulus bill, which the GOP base sees as tantamount to socialism.
Specter has been pushing the theme that he's more electable than Toomey -- that nominating Toomey would give the seat away to the Democrats. It's quite possible that Specter is correct in this regard, with the question being whether that will help him make the difference in his primary.
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
Will the NRSC give Specter money for a primary challenge?
April 15, 2009 9:27 AM | Reply | Permalink
Well, I guess it's time for me to switch parties for a while so I can vote for Toomey in the primary.
April 15, 2009 9:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Spector deserves this for kowtowing to the rightwing. See the reward you get? The GOP stabs you in the back every time.
April 15, 2009 10:11 AM | Reply | Permalink
If Specter had ever, ever followed through on any of his statements regarding the Bush crimes when they were happening under his watch, he might have a shred of credibility.
As it stands, Specter is just the old man who cried wolf. And he's toast here in PA.
PEACE
April 15, 2009 10:43 AM | Reply | Permalink
Yep. You can always count on Specter to stand on principle right up to when it actually matters, and then cave.
April 15, 2009 1:49 PM | Reply | Permalink
Who are the Dems going to run? Rendell won't run as long as there is a possibility he could face Specter.
Dems will need to run a candidate that can claim the middle. You can't risk running a progressive against Toomey because Toomey's odds of winning that contest would be just as good as the progressive Dem winning, and that's not a smart risk to take.
I still expect Toomey to bow out closer to the primary. He's throwing his hat in now just in case the astroturf tea party sentiment has any staying power, because then he might feel he would have a chance in the general. Toomey declaring his intent will keep Specter voting hard right for the time being, so Toomey has essentially controlled Specters vote for the next year and a half. The GOP isn't going to risk losing the seat - if Toomey is polling far behind the Dem favorite, he'll bow out to give it back to Specter.
April 15, 2009 11:48 AM | Reply | Permalink
Except if Specter spends the next 18 months voting hard right, he's toast anyway. Unless the PA Dems screw this up royally (always a possibility), I'd put the odds of a flip at much better than 50:50.
April 15, 2009 12:05 PM | Reply | Permalink
Representatives Tim Murphy and Allyson Schwartz have voiced interest in running for the Democratic nomination. Both would be strong. Murphy is a Blue Dog and an Iraq War vet, the only one presently serving in Congress. Schwartz is more progressive. The best candidate, in my opinion, is Representative Joe Sestak, a retired Navy admiral, former assistant secretary of the Navy under Clinton, and a wonderfully articulate progressive. (In his first house race, he spoke of the US Military an egalitarian model for US social policy, since it provides universal health care and funded his education, including his Ph.D. in political economy from Harvard.)
April 15, 2009 12:53 PM | Reply | Permalink
Let em run he won't win against Spector. The republican party has just about done itself in. If he remove the Republican brand and label he might have a slight chance.
April 15, 2009 1:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Spector should change to a Democrat that is the only way he can keep his seat--maybe.
April 15, 2009 1:32 PM | Reply | Permalink