Posted on 10/05/2009 4:29:46 AM PDT by IbJensen
(President Barack Obama and Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., pause atop the stairs from Air Force One upon their arrival at Philadelphia International Airport on Sept. 15. Sen. Specter trails Pa. Republican Senate Candidate Pat Toomey in a new Quinnipiac University poll.) (Joseph Kaczmarek/Associated Press)
Pennsylvania Republican Senate candidate Pat Toomey now leads incumbent Democrat Arlen Specter 43 percent to 42 percent among the state’s registered voters, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday.
Mr. Specter switched parties from Republican to Democratic in April, explaining that he had no interest in staying in a party that would not nominate him for reelection, as it seemed Republicans would not have done. The senator now faces a primary challenge from U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, D-7th, of Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties.
Mr. Specter has the backing of President Barack Obama, Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell and Pennsylvania’s junior senator, Democrat Bob Casey. But the president’s waning popularity might not bolster the senior senator. Only 49 percent of Pennsylvania’s registered voters approve of Mr. Obama while 42 percent disapprove, according to Thursday’s poll.
Quinnipiac University Polling Institute Assistant Director Peter Brown said in a statement that although much time remains for Mr. Specter to build a sizeable advantage over Mr. Toomey, the early indications for the senator are less than ideal.
“Specter has more than enough time to reverse his fortunes, but being tied with the relatively unknown Toomey is evidence that this election has become a referendum on Specter.”
Quinnipiac’s poll suggests that although Mr. Specter faces a major challenge in terms of getting reelected in 2010, he has not seen a very fierce primary rival in Mr. Sestak as of yet. The senator leads the congressman 44 percent to 25 percent.
Mr. Brown said that while the two Democrats appear to be weathering a tough campaign period with Mr. Toomey showing impressive early polling leads over both. But the Republican former Lehigh Valley-area congressman who unsuccessfully challenged Mr. Specter in 2004 has plenty of work to do to acquire strong name recognition statewide.
“Pat Toomey is pretty much a blank slate to half of the state’s voters and that is both his opportunity and his potential Achilles Heel,” Mr. Brown said. “Given his own shortcomings in the public eye, the only way for Sen. Specter to defeat Toomey is to convince that huge group of voters that they won’t like what they find out about Toomey. There will be a race to define Pat Toomey to Pennsylvanians and that race will likely determine who wins the Senate seat.”
If Toomey can rub two neurons together, he’ll feature this picture prominently in ALL his political advertising.
Specter is a traitor to his own party. Beyond even that, he is a dog that can’t hunt anymore. He is 80 years old and is still clutching on to his power. What is it with some of these guys?
Specter looks like death warmed over! Is Obama getting him ready for the death panel? lol!
They must die in harness due to the pact that they made with satan. They have finally discovered the meaning of the word 'eternity.'
Burn baby burn!
I still think the Dems will pull a fast one on Specter and replace him in the primaries. Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.
You’re right.Things need to suck alot more over the next year for the people to elect Toomy.The way things are going this may come to pass.
I’m waiting for Santorum to crawl out from under his rock and endorse Specter again.
43 to 42? That’s a good working margin for ACORN and SEIU.
Wow. That picture looks like Arlen Sphincter is auditioning for a job as a corpse. Let’s hope he lives long enough to lose to Toomey.
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