Spector Vulnerable in Pennsylvania

SeaMax News ^ | 5/4/2004 | Patrick Canizio

[Hugenot]

Senator Arlen Spector (R, PA) might have a tough time beating Democratic candidate Joseph M Hoeffel. Spector, a liberal Republican, barely managed to survive a strong primary challenge from Pat Toomey.

Spector defeated Pat Toomey 51% to 49%, a narrow margin of 15,000 votes. Most analysts believe that the support of President Bush and fellow Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum provided Spector with his margin of victory.

Many Republicans are concerned that Spector’s razor-thin victory leaves him vulnerable to Hoeffel.

During the often bitter campaign, Toomey hammered Spector for his views on abortion and his frequent disagreements with the Republican majority in the Senate.

Toomey acknowledged in his concession speech that the differences between Spector and himself was not nearly as great the difference between the Democrats.

President Bush has embraced Senator Spector, but with Hoeffel taking aim at President Bush’s economic policies and the war in Iraq, Spector might find that embrace a little uncomfortable.

This race is as important as any because the Republicans only hold a slim two seat majority in the Senate.

[thoughtomator]

This race is important because if Specter wins, he's going to be Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

It's a fair opinion to hold, IMO, that it's better to have Hoeffel win than that happen.

[WestSylvanian]

Precisely the reason why Bush and Santorum should have stayed out of the primary. PA Republicans would have selected Toomey who could have beaten an unknown Democrat. Toomey's victory over Specter would have given him statewide name recognition and media attention. Now, Republicans have no one but Specter who at 73 is looking more and more vulnerable. He stumbled in the debates with Toomey and his age is showing. Democrats smell blood in the water. Goodbye Specter.

[rrrod]

well said

[.cnI redruM]

Like the race between Lieberman and Wicker in Connecticut, I'd shed no tears if the Democrat won.

[Carry_Okie]

PA Republicans would have selected Toomey who could have beaten an unknown Democrat.

And held it for a good long time.

[skeeter]

President Bush has embraced Senator Spector, but with Hoeffel taking aim at President Bush?s economic policies and the war in Iraq, Spector might find that embrace a little uncomfortable.

Yet if Bush had supported Toomey instead, he'd not only have a candidate who'd go to the mat for him, he would have provided Pennsylvanians a real ideological choice and a chance to promote conservatism over the same tired choice between the lesser of two big-governement evils.

When will the GOP learn?

[leprechaun9]

The Republicans don't control the Senate, THE LIBERALS DO!

[BlackRazor]

Yet if Bush had supported Toomey instead

There's really no way Bush could have come out in favor of Toomey. If he didn't win, you'd have had one pissed off Chair of the Judiciary next year, who'd be causing a lot more problems than he already does/will. What Bush should have done was to stay out of the race altogether.

[Diddle E. Squat]

How are we supposed to take seriously a supposed 'news site' that can't even correctly spell the name of its subject?

It is Arlen Specter, not Spector.

[TontoKowalski]

It's a fair opinion to hold, IMO, that it's better to have Hoeffel win than that happen.

I can't believe I'm actually going to write this, but I think if I lived in PA, I'd actually vote for the Dim, exactly becasue of the Chairmanship issue you raise. At a minimum, I'd probably leave my ballot blank on that race.

Hopefully, gains in other parts of the Country (in the South, specifically) would offset the loss of a Republican in PA. Still, that's a roll of the dice...

Egads, what a position we're in...

[John H K]

Actually it seems that more people can't spell "Specter" than those that can..

I don't know if people are thinking of Phil Spector or what....

[Diddle E. Squat]

Maybe they are afraid of 'loosing' the Senate race....

[AmishDude]

Wishful thinking from Toomey supporters. I'm not into the sour grapes thing. Hoeffel would be awful and Specter can get nasty enough to beat him.

[ApesForEvolution]

More reverberations for the Stupid Party?

The RAT Party and the Stupid Party...what a choice.

[Dick Grayson]

Precisely the reason why Bush and Santorum should have stayed out of the primary. PA Republicans would have selected Toomey who could have beaten an unknown Democrat. Toomey's victory over Specter would have given him statewide name recognition and media attention. Now, Republicans have no one but Specter who at 73 is looking more and more vulnerable. He stumbled in the debates with Toomey and his age is showing. Democrats smell blood in the water. Goodbye Specter.

Well said indeed! Ironic too. They backed Specter so as to take the general election.

[hosepipe]

[ This race is important because if Specter wins, he's going to be Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee. ]

Only if other republicans put him there.. Specter is not a republican hes an outrage. Any that vote him into that post are the problem not Specter himself. Using the word republican has become a misnomer. Any that use it refering to a party are dreaming thoughts of yesteryear. Because is has become a club not a party. The democrats, now there is a party. Lock step for anything that will hurt the USA. The Republicans are about as handy as Max Cleland..

[AmishDude]

Bush could not have supported Toomey outright. It would have destroyed the party and destroyed the faith of other Republican officeholders that the president would support them.

He could have been "busy" around the time of the primary, though. He supported Specter so strongly, though, because if Specter did win (and he would have found a way) he would have made Bush's life a living hell.

[Area51]

The Republicans don't control the Senate, THE LIBERALS DO!

8 posted on 05/04/2004 8:38:26 AM PDT by leprechaun9
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies | Report Abuse ]

---

Anyone care to point out the Differences? Given the Senate R(ino)epublican's support of Liberal/social Causes I fail to see any recognizable difference except perhaps the speed in which they take us to hell!

[John H K]

Like the race between Lieberman and Wicker in Connecticut, I'd shed no tears if the Democrat won.

How about if the Dems took the Senate back and TED KENNEDY was chair of the Judiciary Committee?