Senator Spector Wins Pennsylvania Republican Primary

VOA ^ | 4/28/04

[Dane]

Senator Spector Wins Pennsylvania Republican Primary
VOA News
28 Apr 2004, 11:05 UTC

Four term U.S. Senator Arlen Spector of Pennsylvania has declared victory in the state's Republican party primary election, fighting off a fierce challenge from conservative U.S. Representative Pat Toomey.

The latest returns from Tuesday's election indicate the moderate Senator Spector narrowly defeated Mr. Toomey 51 - 49 percent, by some 15,000 votes

In a speech to supporters, Mr. Spector said it was time to look forward to the general election in November.

Mr. Toomey had accused the incumbent Senator of being too liberal, highlighting his support for abortion rights and his frequent disagreements with Republican party officials.

But in his concession speech, Mr. Toomey said that differences between him and the Senator were not nearly as great as differences with Democrats.

National Republican party officials had watched the race closely. Many observers believed a victory by Congressman Toomey would have made it more difficult for Republicans to hold on to the Senate seat in the general election.

Republicans currently hold a slim two seat majority in the Senate.

Some information for this report provided by Reuters.

[Dane]

Toomey shows graciousness and common sense.

Good for him. He put up the good fight and I believe that he has a bright future.

[2banana]

Now Specter will run to the left for the general election. Way left. And stay there. Thank you very much President Bush and Senator Santorum for your endorsements of Specter. You will get what you deserve...

[hobbes1]

Yes. He did.

[hobbes1]

My only fear is that the Judiciary committee, will begin to function like the 9/11 commission.

[Ron in Acreage]

Specter's a Jim Jeffords rino. He killed the Bork nomination.

[Brett66]

Now Pennsylvanians have the choice of the evil of two lessers. ugh.

[Owen]

If Toomey endorsed Specter, then the people who voted for Toomey need to follow his lead. Take solace in knowing Specter is 74 and won't be around long. The real test of character here will be to see how hard Specter campaigns for Bush. And when there's a tough vote in the Senate, does he pay up his IOU then too.

We need a GOP governor there. Specter won't live all that much longer.

[hobbes1]

Exactly. Specter will kick, and Rendell will be picking the next senator.

[Dane]

He killed the Bork nomination.

True, but for the record Spector did help the Thomas nomination, with his tough questioning of Anita Hill.

[Malacoda]

I'm voting for Cthulhu. I have a hard time choosing between two lesser evils.

[wai-ming]

Mr. Toomey said that differences between him and the Senator were not nearly as great as differences with Democrats.

His own (differences with the Dems) or Specter's? There is a difference.

[Russ]

Yep, blame Bush and Santorum. Don't blame the thousands of conservatives who didn't bother to vote because they are either too lazy or too apathetic...

[Kaisersrsic]

I think that the glass is half-full. If Bush had backed Toomey and allowed him to win, there would have been exactly ZERO chance of affirming a Bush nominee in the event that there is a Supreme Court vacancy this Summer.

[Bikers4Bush]

The RINO's screw us all again.

[NittanyLion]

We need a GOP governor there. Specter won't live all that much longer.

Ain't gonna happen. Rendell will be reelected.

[Vision]

I'm real tired of the good guys always losing. I can't think of a reason why a Republican worth their salt would vote for Spector. This sucks big time.

This election was supposed to be a fight for the heart of our party. I'm beginning to think the GOP is lost at it's grassroots. If we're recovering, the party is taking it's sweet time.

If the situation was reversed, and this was a Dem primary about to usher in a more liberal Dem in a time that favors Dem's, does anyone think an incumbent moderate Dem would have survived they way Spector did? Hell no, say what you want, but the Demonrats are a more passionate party then ours.

I love Bush. I'm voting for the man come Nov.. But why has the man who bucked Jeffords out of the party(in an effort to strengthen it) now decided to give his support to RINOs who despise his principles.

I'd rather not respond to a bunch of Spector voters rationalizing their votes.

[WestSylvanian]

Precisely. The White House was really smart on this one. Back somebody with one foot in the grave who's likely to croak before his term is up and be replaced by Rendell's pick.

Toomey won Western Pennsylvania--Allegheny County, Fayette, Westmoreland, etc. So, the White House backs an unpopular Republican who barely wins and who's barely a Republican when they could have backed a young Conservative who would have won the general election. The Democrats know Specter is vulnerable and they're going to target him and pick him off.

Thanks, eastern PA Republicans. Thanks, White House strategic thinkers. You were really on top of this one!

[Dane]

See reply #13.

[NittanyLion]

Furthermore, the White House's support of Specter virtually guarantees they will not be able to nominate a strict constructionist to the Supreme Court. When the time comes and Bush can't get the support he needs to nominate a conservative, he should look back to the day he campaigned for Arlen Specter and realize what a significant role that played.

[Dane]

When the time comes and Bush can't get the support he needs to nominate a conservative, he should look back to the day he campaigned for Arlen Specter and realize what a significant role that played

Huh, I guess Clarence Thomas isn't a strict constructionist to you.