Toomey Within 6 Of Specter In New Poll

SurveyUSA ^ | 4/6/04

[Dales]

U.S. Senate, PA GOP Primary

4/6/2004
Specter- 46%
Toomey- 40%
Other/Undecided- 14%
Data Collected 4/3/04 - 4/5/04
Geography- State of Pennsylvania
Sample Population- 490 Certain Voters
Margin of Error- 4.5%
Client- KDKA-TV Pittsburgh WCAU-TV Philadelphia WNEP-TV Wilkes-Barre

[sultan88]

Ping

[WOSG]

Jorge, See post 40. Toomey is more electable. JMHO.

Some Toomey / Specter articles:

http://www.humaneventsonline.com/article.php?id=3470

http://www.starktruth.com/comment.asp?articleid=438

http://www.taemag.com/issues/articleID.17977/article_detail.asp

http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/33-03242004-270409.html
"An international labor union is urging its Democratic members in Pennsylvania to switch their voter registration to Republican to vote for Sen. Arlen Specter in his tough primary fight against conservative Rep. Pat Toomey."

[WOSG]

Age is not the issue, although your three examples of bigspending Republicans is a strong case for term limits (:-)) but showing age in a way that could lead to a defeat in November is an issue ....

http://www.ourcampaigns.com/cgi-bin/r.cgi/RaceDetail.html?&RaceID=3900

"R:18 Mr. Moderate ( 388.42 points) April 04, 2004 04:59pm
I wasn't particularly impressed with Specter's debate performance at all. He definately had a couple senior moments, including the point near the end where he wanted to know if they were at the closing statements yet (they weren't) and then proceeded to give what seemed to be a closing statement anyway."

[LdSentinal]

Perhaps it's a contrast with age that's doing in Specter with Republicans. Specter is in his 70s, while Toomey is a vibrant middle-aged man in his 40s. I'm not saying this is the sole factor or a primary one, but it could be contributing to this horse race.

[WOSG]

I read all the comments at the site I linked. I found this exchange quite funny:

"Specter could even switch parties"

We would welcome Arlen if he did decide to become a Republican

[republicanwizard]

Who is Mr. Moderate, and Ourcampaigns.com? Really? Is that your information source?

[Badray]

"The big shocker in the poll was that Specter still lead amoung conservatives (very narrowly). Toomey should be winning almost all the conservative votes!"

With all of Specter's lies and dirty tricks (PENNDOT is removing Toomey signs from the road side and leaving all other signs in place. Could it be coincidental that Specter is supporting the biggest funding ever for PENNDOT? Or is just getting more support from his Democrat union base?) I sometimes wonder if his supporters aren't being told to 'self-identify' as conservative and pro life in order to make it appear that Specter has a hold on that segment.

[Republican Wildcat]

I don't know about that. A 24-year incumbent at 46% with his own party faithful with 14% undecided is not a favorable sign. I think he should be thinking about what he will do in retirement and for the GOP to focus on getting a Senator Toomey. That would yield a longer-term benefit--Toomey is a young fella. Pennsylvania can and does elect conservatives statewide--Santorum is living proof of that.

[WOSG]

Like this website, comments from the peanut gallery...

I am enjoying our debate on the Toomey Specter matchup, but I dont want to annoy you with my insistence that you support Toomey. No sense trying to milk a bull. If you are a moderate pro-abortion/pro-choice 'big-Government' Republican that actually likes Specter's liberalism and once-in-a-while conservative support to keep the base from getting restless, I'll understand completely and quit bugging you.

So my only question is: Are you? Or,
are you a pro-life small government conservative?

I am strongly opposed to Specter because he is the biggest enemy of the pro-life movement in the Republican party. I am also strongly opposed to Specter because I am in favor of school vouchers and he has been the biggest Republican stumbling block to them in our national Government. Yes, sometimes a Senator in PA has national impact. And winning the seat for a conservative from a RINO will also have national impact. It will tell the other 5 RINOs in the Senate to shape up.

These are a few reasons and I can come up with a few more. The bottom line about whether you want conservatives to win or lose. That's all. So I guess I am just wondering if you are a fellow conservative or not. It's like I'd vote Bush over Kerry any day - Bush is more conservative.

[Badray]

"That Specter is getting old should have nothing to do with how you vote."

It's not just that he is old that is a problem.

It's that at this age he is unlikely to run again and is therefore even more unaccountable, unpredictable, and unreliable.

It's that at his age and in his health, even if he were to win now and in November, he may not live to serve his entire term and would be replaced by someone of Ed Rendell's choosing. I'm not sure that Rendell couldn't or wouldn't appoint himself.

Even if Specter was Toomey's age, his liberal record is reason enough to vote him out of office.

And the another big reason to vote for Toomey now is to get out the conservative vote in November if you want to see Bush win PA. If conservatives have no good reason to go vote, PA will stay in the "D" column.

[Torie]

Mr. Moderate and I agree on many things, although he is far younger than I am, and appears in his youth to have caught the protectionist bug. He needs antibiotics. He is a natural Specter supporter, who apparently realizes that Specter is over the hill. Of course, I knew Specter was over the hill 20 years ago. The guy frankly isn't very smart, and is a political coward, who in a superficial way, just wets his finger and puts it up to the wind, in hopes that will facilitate the elongation, albeit, attenuation, or his miserable and meaningless, seemingly endless, political career.

[Badray]

"What do you know about Pennsylvania? Would you like it if I told you whom to vote for in Texas primaries?"

Uh, uh, uh. Watch your tongue boy. You've already been warned about nasty tongue and itchy posting finger.

Someone could very well ask you what you - a 20 year old kid - know about life or politics or what right you have to tell anyone how to vote in any election.

I won't do it, but someone could.

[Republican Wildcat]

Specter's age isn't really an issue...it's how it appears it has affected him. He was never the most flamboyant person and he has slowed considerably. His stump speeches I have seen on TV are terrible, and he isn't exactly a 'legend' in PA like some long-time politicians are (like Thurmond) that this handicap can be overcome (in Thurmond's last campaign he could still make a good stump speech, though).

[Republican Wildcat]

Since I'm about the same age I won't do it either. :-)

[Badray]

Same age?

You mean old like me? Or young like pubwhiz?

[Lancey Howard]

Are you suggesting that RINO DiFrancesco would have beaten Mayor McCheese? Not a chance.

Unfortunately, New Jersey is fully owned and operated by the education mafia and was long ago shot down the liberal toilet, gone forever. I am happy to let the place be a magnet for the homosexuals, socialists, gun grabbers, athiests and all the rest of the liberal creeps - - sort of the San Fransicko of the East.

Pennsylvania, on the other hand, still has hope. Although the major parasite nests (Philadelphia and Pittsburgh) have been infecting their immediate suburbs with Democrats fairly steadily, the great expanses of normal, working, traditional families still provide enough clout to elect a true conservative. Witness Rick Santorum. Toomey is very much like Santorum and I thought he made a remarkable showing in the recent debate.

Conservatives in this state get up in droves to vote for real conservatives. Many a pollster has been thoroughly shnookered in Pennsylvania. Ask Barbara Hafer.

Specter is in deep, deep trouble.

[zbigreddogz]

Look, I'm as much for Toomey as the next guy, but DiFrancesco, at the very least, would have lost by a lot less then Shundler did.

[zbigreddogz]

Well, actually, Specter's cheeks are always that color.

He didn't look good though.

[republicanwizard]

He is also gay, pro-abortion, etc. I suppose that is your type of Republican?

[Torie]

My posts speak for themselves. I actually have commented on both issues within the last two days, so you can do a search. Read them if you care.