Posted on 11/02/2005 4:47:18 PM PST by Unam Sanctam
HARRISBURG, Pa. - A national political group for gays is staging mock "retirement parties" for Sen. Rick Santorum (news, bio, voting record) as part of a campaign to defeat the high-ranking Republican next year.
The Washington-based National Stonewall Democrats and its local chapters have signed up hosts for about 40 parties in more than a dozen states, including six in Santorum's home state of Pennsylvania. Most of the parties are scheduled for Nov. 13.
Organizers say their main goal is to energize rank-and-file activists for next year's campaigns and the 2008 presidential election.
Santorum, who as GOP conference chairman is the Senate's third-ranking Republican, helped lead last year's unsuccessful push in Congress for a constitutional ban on gay marriage.
In a 2003 interview with The Associated Press, he angered gay-rights groups by saying states should have the right to ban gay sex and by comparing homosexuality to bigamy, incest and adultery.
Santorum campaign spokeswoman Virginia Davis said the senator believes marriage should be "between one man and one woman" and that "special rights should not be granted based on sexual orientation."
She added that he "respects the rights of groups who wish to express their First Amendment rights."
An independent poll conducted by Connecticut-based Quinnipiac University last month showed Santorum trailing Democratic state Treasurer Robert P. Casey Jr., 52 percent to 34 percent. The survey had a sampling error margin of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points.
Both men are expected to face primary opposition.
Casey supports laws banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and favors allowing same-sex couples to join in civil unions.
The Log Cabin Republicans — a GOP-oriented political group for gays — will not endorse Santorum's re-election bid, a spokesman said.
Santorum's finished
He needs to get out in front of something. The base in this state needs to see him doing something important.
I give him a shot as election time approaches, but people needs to see him for one, and people need to remember the surplus in the state's coffers that disappeared under Casey's father's governorship.
He was awesome yesterday, mocking the Dems who shut down the Senate... Saying it was because the bill being debated was for fiscal responsibility and he knows how painful that is for the Dems...lol.
Why do you think he is finished? Are you a Casey supporter? Rick has stumbled (ok, supporting Spector over Toomey was a big fall leaving him with scabby knees) but I think he is still very electable. I would bet that President Bush will visit PA many times to drum up support.
Lefties-hate-Rick ping
I hate to tell you, but I read these posts from your fellow PA GOPers, and they are vicious. Looks like the PA GOP is going to blame Santorum for all their problems. You need to get your state GOP behind him, or he has no chance, and you've got to do it quickly.
Yep and that is why the gays are planning a party
We'd better fall quickly behind this guy and get him re-elected. He is fantastic. His only mistake was to support Spectre over Toomey. Otherwise he has a solidly conservative record and is a fantastic speaker for us conservatives. I must say that I originally felt betrayed, but when I stopped sulking and started seeing the whole picture, it wasn't even close. The man is far from being a RINO. He is way more conservative than his own state. He needs our support.
I think the main reason he supported Specter in the primaries is that he felt he owed Specter a favor after Specter threw his support behind him in 1994 in which he defeated incumbent HArris Wofford.
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