Posted on 03/05/2009 5:16:39 PM PST by GOPGuide
Former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) will challenge Sen. Arlen Specter in a primary for the second straight cycle, according to Pennsylvania GOP sources.
The Allentown Morning Call reported Thursday that two friends of Toomey’s have said the Club for Growth chief has decided to enter the race.
Toomey narrowly lost to Specter in a 2004 primary by less than 1 percent and recently said he was considering another run.
The paper quotes Richard Thulin, leader of the Lehigh Valley Republican Network, saying in an e-mail to supporters that "Pat's formal announcement will be forthcoming.
"Interesting news," he wrote. "Pat Toomey asked me to let you know that he has decided to challenge Arlen Specter."
Reached late Thursday, Thulin confirmed the details of the e-mail, as first reported by the Morning Call.
A Pennsylvania GOP source confirmed that he has talked to Toomey in recent days, and Toomey said he would run.
Specter has drawn jeers from the GOP for his vote in favor of the current stimulus package, in which he was joined by only two other GOP senators.
A spokeswoman for the Club for Growth could not immediately be reached for comment.
Maybe Santorum can keep his mouth shut this time.
Bet he doesn’t loose this time.
Good news ...
Santorum should get out there early and apologize for stabbing him in the back and tell everyone he was wrong about specter.
Arlen is on his way out, either way. His cancer will get him before long...probably before 'ought ten.
I wouldn't be surprised if Arlen pulls out anyway....to spend his last days with his family, don't you know.
I'm hoping that even if he did speak up in favor of Specter it may not help all that much. Last time it wasn't only Santorum but Bush who backed Specter as well as the party. Hopefully, this time the party will take not of Specter's unpopularity and back Toomey. I hope...
The last time Spector had the backing of the White House administration. This time.... well, he’ll probably have the backing of the White House administration.
And until the election, this challenge can be used to beat him over the head and keep him voting our way.
Great news! He would have defeated Spectre had W not gone and campaigned for Spectre.
LOL- And so true.
Most of the voters of Pennsylvania are braindead. We couldn’t even defeat John Murtha, who has clearly trashed the military. If Toomey wins the primary, he loses to whichever member of the media the democrats decide to run.
Spector will not hold his seat, but he needs to be defeated by Toomey. He and other like-minded RINOs need to understand that losing is a consequence of being too liberal.
Ditto for Hugh Hewitt.
What about Lynn Swann? Did he get crushed against Big Daddy Ed Rendell?
the answer is no. Pennsylvania has, unfortunately been invaded by liberals living in brick colonials surrounding Philadelphia. They run the state. Lynn Swann didn’t have a chance either, Ed Rendell and his Philadelphia machine crushed him. Murtha gets elected time after time, the city of Pittsburgh constantly elects democrats even though the city is almost broke. the democrats in this state are very well organized, the GOP in this state is as bad as the national party, if not worse.
He connects with blue collar people much better than Rick Santorum.
And this time Bush won't be around to help his amnesty-supporting friend out.
Did they move in from NY and Massachusetts? Interesting the way the liberals flee from socialist tax and spend polices only to turn around and elect the same clowns they ran away from. They do it every time.
NY and NJ. Western Pennsylvania’s population has decreased while the area surrounding Philly has increased. Western PA is far more conservative than the east, but the east controls the state. I really hate to admit it, and I hope Pat Toomey challenges Specter, but I really don’t see how he can win the general election unless the dems run someone bad. Oh, wait, they ran someone bad (Casey) and he still won.
RINO hunting time!
Run Pat Run!
Sooooooo... you still voting for liberal Arlen in the GOP primary because Bush tells you to?
Maybe we’ll get lucky and the dem turnout is low as it tends to be in off year elections and the repubs get motivated. I can’t believe we’ve actually got a strong chance to win one in NY so anything’s possible.
Hasn’t he learned? The GOP will really clobber him this time.
No, Santorum should just fade off into the Virginia sunset, never to be heard from again....
For the millionth time Murtha was not re-elected by all the people of Pennsylvania, just those in his district. And Lynn Swann ran a terrible campaign. He was barely there as a candidate.
I don’t know about Toomey. If he wants to have a chance he’d better start early and get his name out there. I don’t know of many people where I live who would be very aware of him.
Don’t bet on it. He’s a piece of work. He’ll do what he can to sabotage Toomey. He fancies himself as the savior, not Pat.
I really think the man is ill, as in sick in the head.
Oh yeah, and liberals will recant, the sun will rise in the west, and St. Ricky will apologize. Yeah, riiiiiight.
Where do we send the check?
And the check and the check and the check......did I say send the check?
Arlen seeeee yaaaaa!
Yes, that was the first time I was really mad at Bush. Pretty mad at Santorum too. The Pope (John Paul II at the time) had just come out with a statement about pro-life politicians and voting. He expressly stated that when there is a clear choice between a pro-life and a pro-abortion politician, Catholics are obliged, ceteris paribus, to support the pro-lifer. Bush's abdication was terrible, but Santorum's was arguably worse.
Basically, it was nothing more than a bunch of trucks with aborted babies on the side (fetuses).
Some people felt that pro-life action like that helped narrow that particular race...
Where do we send the check?
And the check and the check and the check......did I say send the check?
Arlen seeeee yaaaaa!
Hope not.
Vote for Toomey.
The only correct thought that Spector ever had was the Single Bullet Theory.
Toomey’s been palling around with Mitt Romney. I have no reason to trust him.
I guess that's probably better than palling around with McCain. In any event he'll be a huge improvement over Arlen.
It’s time for Arlen to GO! Let’s go Pat!
John Murtha’s had two opponents, both excellent conservatives. Both handily defeated by John Murtha, whose name appears on just about everything in his district and whose family benefits from all the pork in his district. None of that counted when it came to the election.
My main point remains the same. Sadly, Pennsylvania voters have pretty much given up on the GOP, with good reason. In the meantime, the dems have become stronger.
Toomey will probably easily defeat Specter in a primary. The general election remains a whole different ballgame. IF he’s still as popular among suburban Philadelphians as some suggest, he has a fighting chance, unless the dems put up a media darling to oppose him.
Where do I donate?
I love Pat but if you think he will win the seat against all those Pa. Dems like the Murtha crowd, you are not politically smart. Pubs are through in Pa. since they could not beat a lackluster Bob Casey. Perhaps Lynn Swann would have a better chance. Arlen goes anyhow because the BASE in Pa. in still a bit more conserv than liberal but in the general election, same old same old.
Where do we send the $$$$
ping
They voted for the name, not the man. A lot of people really loved his father (who was decent man for a Democrat).
I am not politically smart.
But you have a good sense of humor and humility. No liberal would ever admit what you said!!!!!!
I am a pin stripe follower. Go Yanks! ;D)
Would Toomey merit that kind of expenditure? Or will these challenging economic times result in less outside money coming in and interfering with the natural inclinations of PA voters? How much does voter fraud in the big cities cost, anyway?
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