Former Rep. Pat Toomey's (R-PA) campaign has just announced the endorsement of a prominent GOP Congressman from Pennsylvania, Rep. Charlie Dent, a sign that Toomey's effort might just be picking up more steam now that former Gov. Tom Ridge declared that he wouldn't be running for the GOP nod.

Dent represents Toomey's old House seat, but is generally viewed as a relatively more moderate, establishment personality. For example, he voted against federal intervention in the Schiavo case, and he endorsed the socially-liberal Rudy Giuliani for president in 2007.

The first big step for Toomey was declaring his candidacy at all, which then had the very-much unforeseen consequence of triggering Sen. Arlen Specter's party switch. The GOP establishment then began looking for another candidate, such as Ridge, but Toomey appears to be gaining momentum now.