Posted on 11/05/2004 4:10:44 PM PST by Founding Father
Specter urges moderation to boost GOP gains at polls
Thursday, November 04, 2004
BY PETER L. DeCOURSEY AND CARRIE CALDWELL Of The Patriot-News
U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., proclaimed that his re-election on Tuesday was a "victory for moderate Republicans." He said he hopes to recruit more statewide Republicans to that banner.
Specter led all statewide Republicans as he swept to his fifth Senate term, a record for Pennsylvania. He rolled up more votes than President Bush statewide and in Dauphin and Cumberland counties.
With 99 percent of the vote counted in unofficial returns, Specter garnered 2,882,829 votes or 53 percent, well ahead of U.S. Rep. Joe Hoeffel, D-Montgomery, who earned 2,283,694 votes or 42 percent.
They were followed by Constitution Party nominee James Clymer, 216,378 or 4 percent, and Libertarian Betsy Summers, 77,310 or 1 percent.
Specter hopes Bush's "compassionate conservatism" will bring more funding to education and health care and motivate Bush to dramatically expand stem-cell research.
Specter believes stem-cell research saves lives, and he used a commercial by actor Michael J. Fox in his campaign. Fox, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, said stem-cell research gives people such as him hope and that "Arlen gets it."
Specter said that commercial and other appeals to moderates allowed him to escape the voter tide that swept President Bush and two statewide GOP candidates to defeat in Pennsylvania.
Specter attributed his success to his moderate politics and wants other candidates to follow his example.
He said his example proves that moderate Republicans are most successful in general elections, and that it is time for his party to stop nominating conservative candidates who lose to Democrats perceived to be moderate.
But Leslie Gromis-Baker, Bush's Mid-Atlantic coordinator, said Specter was wrong to say that moderates were the best model for statewide GOP candidates.
Gromis-Baker, who helped Attorney General-elect Tom Corbett win narrowly Tuesday, noted that Corbett is a more traditional conservative Republican.
"Moderates do better in the southeast. Conservatives do better in the west," she said.
While Specter outpolled Bush in Dauphin, Cumberland and other central Pennsylvania counties, Gromis-Baker pointed out that Hoeffel "was an unknown congressman, underfunded, and no one west of Chester County ever heard of him."
She also scorned Specter's often- expressed claim that he and former governor Tom Ridge are moderates.
Gromis-Baker said Ridge is a conservative, "but not pro-life. ... That is very different from Sen. Specter."
Specter previewed his expected role as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which reviews and votes on federal judicial nominees.
In his tough Republican primary, Specter courted conservative voters by saying he would confirm only "strict constructionist" judges, a term used by conservatives to denote judges they favor. Then, in the fall campaign against Hoeffel, Specter said he favored "centrist judges."
Yesterday, Specter defined what he wanted in a judge and said he hoped Bush would consult him before picking nominees.
Specter said the late Supreme Court Justice Benjamin Cardozo said, "The constitution is an evolving document based upon the values of the people."
"That's the kind of strict constructionist that I'm looking for" in a judge, Specter said, pointing out that such a judge would not be labeled a moderate or conservative.
Senators are on Recess until Tuesday the 16th I believe. Some staffers may or may not be there, but be prepared to start calling again on the 16th...
Hate to break it to ya, but the Senators are on Recess until Tuesday the 16th I believe. Some staffers may or may not be there, but be prepared to start calling again on the 16th...
I'm sure none of it can be attributed to the Kerry/Specter signs, right Senator?
That makes absolutely no sense. Typical.
Go wallow in your own pity parade -- I have better things to do.
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