Posted on 03/02/2006 8:24:15 PM PST by pennconservative
Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum is, by most accounts, one of the most important, powerful voices for conservatism in the federal government today. Both fiscally and socially conservative, Santorum has been a close ally of President Bush and has played a key role in many of the victories that Republican senators have enjoyed in recent years. His seniority, combined with his principles, makes his re-election a critical one for Republicans in 2006.
Santorum has a long road ahead of him, however. His challenger is Democratic State Treasurer Bob Casey, Jr. The son of a popular former Pennsylvania governor, Casey already has unusually high name recognition for a challenger. He is also, at least ostensibly, pro-life. This gives conservative Democrats in Pennsylvania, a light blue state at best, what they may consider a real choice. Combine this with an almost rabid desire by liberals to see Santorum defeated, and you have a recipe for a brutal, close campaign.
There is another factor, though, that needs to be considered. Santorum has found himself increasingly on the wrong side of the conservative base that has been responsible for electing him again and again. He not only supported liberal Sen. Arlen Specter over the staunchly conservative Pat Toomey in 2004, but Santorum actively worked toward Specter’s re-election. Santorum has endorsed the idea of raising the minimum wage by $2 over two years, and refused to rule out raising taxes to offset the cost of Social Security reform.
(Excerpt) Read more at humaneventsonline.com ...
"There is another factor, though, that needs to be considered. Santorum has found himself increasingly on the wrong side of the conservative base that has been responsible for electing him again and again. He not only supported liberal Sen. Arlen Specter over the staunchly conservative Pat Toomey in 2004, but Santorum actively worked toward Specter’s re-election. Santorum has endorsed the idea of raising the minimum wage by $2 over two years, and refused to rule out raising taxes to offset the cost of Social Security reform."
Well then, he's not a real conservative after all, is he?
My above reply. Does this sound like a person that is radical? I think he was a good -sound -true conservative at one time. Me thinks he got sold out by a corrupt "Two-Party Cartel".
As the months ahead unfold, the gap will narrow. Particularly when Casey starts having to explain himself.
One distinct advantage for Rick is Bob Casey.Casey has even less personality than Al Gore. He is as dull as a stump.I don't really buy this pro-life stuff either.I think the guy is just another boring liberal.
When all is said and done, conservatives will wake up to the fact that Rick, percieved flaws included, is a far cry better than an inanimate object with a D behind his name who is beholden to MoveOn, DU, and the Philadelphia moonbats.
Oh yeah this guy is definitly a Republican.I'm sure all the bots will be along shortly to tell everyone on free republic how he turned water into wine at their local meetings and he shook their hand and three days later the cyst was gone and if you dont vote for him this election your children will get cancer and die.
Libertarian ping.To be added or removed from my ping list freepmail me or post a message here
That might be the doing of Elsie Hillman, a Republican National Committee Woman, and a VERY big "pro-choice" moron.
She actually supported Harris Wafford in his re-election bid against Santorum, based only on the pro-life issue.
In Santorum's last election, the Democrat Candidate, Ron Klink, was also pro life, and poor Elsie didn't have a dog in the fight. Robert Casey Jr. is also Pro life, and Michelman might be trying to divert some of that Hillman money (Elsie Hillman is one of the richest women in the country) to the coffers of NARAL.
The last interesting Third party candidacy in Pennsylvania was when Constitutionalist Peg Luksig ran for Govenor against Ivan Itkan, and Tom Ridge. She got 13% of the vote. In the previous election, Luksig challenged Barbara Hafer for the Republican nomination. She got 48% of the vote, while spending only about $40k. Were it not for Elsie Hillman, Hafer would have quit the race. Hafer (pro abortion) is now a democrat.
Pennsylvania politics are very complex, both Republican and Democrat.
:)
Didn't Mayor Rizzo switch party affiliations eventually?
"Oh yeah this guy is definitly a Republican.I'm sure all the bots will be along shortly to tell everyone on free republic how he .........."
Tsssk, double standard! You know what I see? I see you pinging your fellow Libertarians!
When are people ever going to learn what politics is all about ..?? It's stunning!
Rick Santorum is one of the strongest conservatives running for re-election and we cannot let him down. When he and his wife were given horrible news about their unborn child .. and the doctors wanted them to abort the child, they refused, explaining that they believed abortion was murder. They carried the child full term - the baby only lived a few hours.
Rick stood in the well of the Senate and gave his testimony - on C-SPAN - and sitting in a livingroom across America, a young couple were watching. When the speech was over, the young man noticed that his girlfriend was crying. He asked her what was wrong. "I'm pregnant", she said, "and tomorrow I was going to have an abortion - but now I realize that I cannot do that". They had the baby, and gave her up for adoption.
WE NEED RICK IN THE SENATE TO PROTECT THE UNBORN. I don't give a rip if politics demanded he support Specter. He did what he had to do. I doubt Specter will run again .. and then Rick will be free to support a good conservative.
So you keep standing around whining about Specter and it will get you nowhere. If we don't get our act together and stop having our little personal pity party over something a congress person did that we don't approve of (but which wasn't illegal), we are going to have a real mess on our hands in November.
As for Rick supporting raising the min wage and raising taxes .. I've never known him to do that so I am curious why he would be saying that now.
I don't know if he's toast, but here's another guy that left his nads in the desk drawer of his last job prior to getting elected. The whole thing with Specter and Toomey made me lose all respect for the guy and hope that he gets replaced by a true conservative. He seems like a Specter lite in some ways.
What is so difficult about being principled in Washington! The founding fathers did it with ease.
Well .. I think your statement was totally uncalled for.
I was just stating the facts as presented.
What facts .. Santorum supported Specter! Wow! Isn't that news?
No.
Another atheist spreading christophobic anti-catholicism ?
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