[Common Tator]

I can't believe how self defeating the far right is. They are as self defeating as the far left. Both think they can win. McGovern thought he could win centrist states. Goldwater thought he could win them too. Neither could.

If Toomey could win, Bush, Santorum and the RNC would be behind him with full bore support. But Toomey can only win the nomination. You remind me of the Goldwaterites... who were so happy to get the nomination, that they could not see they were giving LBJ all it took to do the Welfare state.

It took 40 years to even begin to undo the results of the Goldwater debacle. It may take longer than that to undo the huge victory you are handing the left.

The next time Kerry sees you he should give you a high five. You may get Kerry the P.A. electoral votes yet.

To believe a Toomey nomination is not bad for the right you have to believe that Bush and Santorum want Joe Hoefel to win the Senate and Kerry to win P.A.

But be happy during the primary. The far right can rarely win anthing. Helping the left carry PA in the fall while you bask in a worthless primary victory... is typical of the Far right.

[Alberta's Child]

If Rick Santorum could win in Pennsylvania, then why can't Toomey?

[ServesURight]

Give me a break. So we're supposed to sit around and wait for Specter to gradually pull us out of the socialist abyss? By the time that happens the Red Sox and Cubs will face off in the World Series.

Why do you keep believing in the lie that Republicans must move to the center or "moderate" their views to attract votes? This is totally false and has been repudiated millions of times.

Why do you want a scumbag backstabber like Specter to win?

[PennsylvaniaMom]

I disagree. Santorum has won, and Toomey is ideologically in step with Santorum. Santorum and Spector are the opposites here...Toomey and Santorum much more closely aligned policy-wise. When, not if, Toomey wins on Tuesday, then the savvy thing would be to bring GWB back here asap and campaign for Toomey. Santorum will have to close in ranks also...PA won't go for Kerry.

[JohnnyZ]

But be happy during the primary. The far right can rarely win anthing.

Of course Santorum won in Pennsylvania twice. But just ignore that.

[WOSG]

"If Toomey could win, Bush, Santorum and the RNC would be behind him with full bore support. "

Hogwash.

This is about incumbency protection politics, period. They are supporting the inucmbent "R" by default.

Toomey is more electable that the unliked aging Specter,
whose support is an inch thick and who is likely to get defeated in november should he (barely) survive next Tuesday. Toomey can win the pro-life and pro-gun votes that will otherwise stay home in november.

Toomey is as electable as santorum is, who ran quite well in 2000.


The ONLY CHOICE for conservatives is Toomey.

Only choice.

Specter has a 42% ACU rating, worse than several Democrats. He stabbed Bush in the back on tax cuts, overtime rules, and several judicial nominations. And he Borked Bork. He is the worst Republican senator in the Senate, more of an enemy than several Democrats.

If you think Specter's only opponents are the 'far right' you are a loon.

[ServesURight]

The next time Kerry sees you he should give you a high five. You may get Kerry the P.A. electoral votes yet.

Wrong - you give Kerry a high-five. If Specter eeks out a win in the primary his union and liberal buddies who crossed over to save his ass won't do so in the general election. And Penn conservatives will stay home.

[Ciexyz]

But Toomey can only win the nomination. You remind me of the Goldwaterites....

I agree with you there, Common Tator. I remember the Goldwater election controversy. My family voted for Goldwater and wholeheartedly supported him. It seemed the right thing to do at the time, but in the bigger picture, Goldwater's nomination hurt the Republican party. The country wasn't ready for him, and I'm afraid that PA won't be ready for Toomey.

But in any case, I'll be voting for whichever candidate my party endorses in November. But I worry about the Philly voters and Montgomery County voters, who helped push Democratic Ed Rendell into the governorship after a Republican administration.

[BibChr]

Interesting.

Do you find you can post faster, when you don't have any idea of the thinking of the person you're criticizing?

I'm thinking "yes."

Dan

[Guillermo]

If Toomey could win, Bush, Santorum and the RNC would be behind him with full bore support

Wrongo. How often do you see the Party Establishment choose a challenger (much less openly) in a primary? 40 years to undo the "Goldwater debacle? You mean it was only undone this year? What about Reagan in 1980? (Nixon won in 68 and 72 as well). So if Specter isn't on the ticket, then Bush automatically loses PA? Your logic leaves much to be desired.

[Mrs. Ranger]

Six years ago, I might have agreed with you. Things have *changed* mightily, at least in my neck of the woods, since then. ;)

[Mulder]

. But Toomey can only win the nomination

Is this from the same electoral genuises who claimed that Bush Sr would win in 92 and Clinton was "unelectable"?

Or that Bush Jr. would win in a landslide this year?

Or who claimed that a bunch of "extremists" led by a fat, arrogrant, and abrasive "reactionary" would never win Congress in 1994?

It's absurd to believe that someone like Toomey is "unelectable" and at the same time believe that Specter, who is having trouble getting 50% of the support in his own party, is a "sure bet" in the general election.

And it's also absurd to put any corrleation between the PA Senate race and how that state votes for president this year.

Whatever happened to supporting or opposing a candidate based on their merits?

It seems like whenever anyone is for a crappy candidate, they always claim the other guys in the primary are "unelectable". And most of the time, they are wrong.

[Coop]

To believe a Toomey nomination is not bad for the right you have to believe that Bush and Santorum want Joe Hoefel to win the Senate and Kerry to win P.A.

Fortunately you were not advising Rick Santorum's campaign. You know, the far right Pubbie who was carrying PA by about eight points in 2000 - even while the far left Gore took the state by five points.

[MoodyBlu]

You are correct in your post. Toomey will probably win the nomination, then what?

It'll be like Bill Simon in CA and Bret Shundler in NJ. Real conservatives but because of the demographics, losers in the end. Sad, as I am tired of Arlen, and want the GOP to retain the seat. Specter would beat Hoefel easily. Toomey would most likely lose.

MoodyBlu

[Temple Owl]

Get ten old Republican ladies to go to the polls and vote for Pat Toomey. You can do it Tator!!! I'm going to do it.

[Tribune7]

Toomey is a much, much better candidate than Specter against Hoeffel. He's a lot like Rick Santorum.

[BillyBoy]

RINO Track Record on "predicting" Senate races:

1980

"The far-right Al D'Amato CANNOT win in a state like New York!! Nominate JAVITS or this seat goes DEMOCRAT!!! D'Amato is simply UNELECTABLE!!!"

1994

"The far-right Rick Santorum CANNOT win in a state like Pennsyvania!! Nominate HAFER or this seat goes DEMOCRAT!!! Santorum is simply UNELECTABLE!!!"

1998

"The far-right Peter Fitzgerald CANNOT win in a state like Illinois!! Nominate DICKERSON or this seat goes DEMOCRAT!!! Fitzgerald is simply UNELECTABLE!!!"

[NittanyLion]

To believe a Toomey nomination is not bad for the right you have to believe that Bush and Santorum want Joe Hoefel to win the Senate and Kerry to win P.A.

Go figure - I find you on yet another thread spreading unsubstantiated assertions in defense of the liberal Arlen Specter. It sure does bother you that the moderate wing of the GOP is unable to control events in PA, doesn't it?

[Dan from Michigan]

If Toomey could win, Bush, Santorum and the RNC would be behind him with full bore support.

The policy is almost always to back incumbents. As for Toomey not being able to win, Toomey's district went for Gore - Leigh Valley area. Toomey won it THREE TIMES.

BTW - Santorum is argueably more conservative than Toomey, and not only did he win, he beat an incumbent.

[Gracey]

As usual, you make so much sense. I'll take have a Republican who usually supports the president 100% on Judicial nominees, that give the Senate another Democrat in November and the Senate leadership. Some Republicans are just plain illogical.

[Mr Rogers]

Gotta disagree with you on this one.

Normally, I would agree with your reasoning - altho 'far right' is used too often to mean anyone who isn't a liberal republican.

But Specter is a worthless piece of horse dung. This is the only race in the country where, if it comes to it, I would prefer to see a demoncrat elected than the republican incumbant. Every once in a while, you have to do something to indicate a republican senator needs to vote occassionally with republicans. And Specter is so stridently opposed to everything republicans believe in that we need to take him out - no matter the cost!