Posted on 04/08/2009 9:12:28 AM PDT by BGHater
Sen. Arlen Specter on Tuesday said that former Rep. Pat Toomey is too conservative to win a general election race in Pennsylvania, claiming his likely primary opponent "is to the right of Rick Santorum."
During an appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" program, Specter (R-Pa.) provided a preview of his strategy against Toomey. Specter said Toomey fought for deregulation, embraced private accounts in Social Security and, if nominated, would lose the general election and allow Democrats to pass so-called card-check legislation favored by organized labor.
Specter said Toomey is "to the right" of former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), adding, "Santorum lost by 18 points [in 2006], spent $31 million and was a two-term incumbent."
The jab at Santorum comes in the wake of Santorum's silence on whether he will endorse Specter's bid for a sixth term. Santorum backed Specter in his tight 2004 primary win over Toomey. President Bush also backed Specter over Toomey.
"If Toomey is the nominee, you can be sure he'll lose," Specter said, claiming Democrats would then have the votes to pass card-check and allow the White House and congressional Democrats to steamroll their agenda through Congress.
Reacting to Specter's comments, Toomey said, "This is more grasping at straws by Arlen Specter. I have won three general elections in Pennsylvania and lost none. Specter might believe you have to be a liberal like him in order to win in Pennsylvania, but I do not share that view, nor do most Pennsylvania Republicans."
Specter last week launched ads criticizing Toomey, who has not officially declared he will run against the Pennsylvania senator.
A spokesman for Toomey last week returned fire on Specter.
“Pennsylvanians have come to expect bizarre behavior from Arlen Specter, but this takes his desperation to a new and very strange level," Toomey spokesman Mark Harris said at the time. "Specter can’t defend his own liberal record, so he’s attacking Pat Toomey, who isn’t even in the race yet, with lies about work Pat did 20 years ago. It looks like Specter wants to put Pennsylvanians through a long, dishonest campaign ... for one final time.”
Arlen “the magic bullet” Specter.
gotta love him.
NOT
Go home Specter. Today. You’re not needed here anymore.
Elect Toomey and have Santorum move to New York so we can dump this POS Schumer. Do that today also.
“Rick, a good man, made a pact with the devil and the devil won because Rick lost his soul for a while.”
I disagree. Santorum was showing loyalty to his Party and to his Senior Senator. That’s a far cry from a “pact with the devil.”
Apparently Ole Arlen doesnt understand that we've got a Scottish plot going to depose his buddy Harry Screed at the same time.
whoever Arlen attacks should be the candidate we back. Luksik needs to bow out (self-sacrifice for the good of the many).
Santorum, Bush, and Cheney helped to re-elect Specter here in PA. Right now I'm being subjected to Specter running ads saying that Toomey was involved in the financial scandal when he was a banker.
Who knows if Toomey can win. We have a lot of people who are looking for handouts here in PA.
Santorum “Et Tu Specter?”
I think that Toomey's chances would not be great, or even favorable. But, this is a non-Presidential election year. The Dems control both the legislative and the executive, so one could presume they wouldn't be as motivated to get to the polls. Plus, there won't be a black man running for an historic precedent, so that might also suppress the black vote, at least a little.
This a damned if you and damned if you dont situation. Unfortunately, Specter is probably right when he says Toomey can’t win a General Election in PA. Specter probably would lose a primary to Toomey, but if he prevailed in the Primary could win the General Election. These are the kind of choices that make you hold your nose when you vote.
Santorum, Bush, and Cheney should have stayed out of the PA primary. Why not wait for the primary to be over before they supported Specter. Thanks to them, we've been stuck with Specter here.
I'd rather have somebody that shows loyalty to conservative principles than to the Republican party.
Santorum lost becsuse of demographics...PA is been going solidly Dems for quite a while. I can’t think of a GOP candidate who could win...I don’t think Toomey will. People don’t want to hear this...but a moderate GOP candidate might win. I also do not believe Spector can win because of card check. He had a coalition, but card check is a big issue in PA and Spector lost some of the bipartisan support that helped get him elected because of this issue.
I have a sneaking suspicion that we're going to find out next year, Arlen.
The problem is that in all likelyhood, Toomey will not get elected and there will be another Dem Senator. I would prefer a true conservative but am willing to settle as was Reagan in his day for a moderate who can get elected and votes with the GOP 75% of the time.
We, in PA, call him Benedict Arlen.
It’s kind of nice to see a Pragmatic posting rather than the monolithic boat that sails down the road to defeat.
Right what some on this forum don’t seem to get is that you can’t elect rock hard conservatives in some localities. Is a Dem preferable to a moderate? Not in my book. Being in the minority stinks, if a few moderates can get elected and help the GOP back to majority status...I’m all for it.
f nominated, would lose the general election and allow Democrats to pass so-called card-check legislation favored by organized labor.
Who voted with the democrats to pass the 787 billion porkulus bill - Arlen (the RINO) Specter.
Taking out the RINO’s or moderates will give the Dems a veto proof majority...who’s side are you on? How much influence will the GOP/conservatives have on any issues if their numbers continue to shrink? They will simply bloviate with no power to effect any important legislation.
I'd rather go down with a fight than to make a preemptive surrender.
In my Congressional district, a lot of people thought we should run a moderate instead of Michele Bachmann. I'm glad we didn't listen to them.
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