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If Toomey wins, my take is that the RNC will pump quite a bit of money into his campaign. What we cannot afford is a lame duck specter (He is not going to run again IMHO) charing the Judiciary Committee. Without anyone to hold his feet to the fire he will screw conservatives.

I hope he loses.

Are there any exit polls yet?

I agree. I'm sure the vast majority of FREEPERS are more ideologically in sync with Toomey than with a RINO like Specter (not even mentioning his infamous work with the Warren Commission or his love of "Scottish Law".

Normally, although I consider myself a hard-core conservative, I nonetheless think in practical terms - namely that a RINO win is usually better than a conservative loss in November, paricularly in the case where control of the Senate may be at stake. (Even though my heart and instincts supported McClintock for Governor of California, I would have nonethteless probably voted for Arnold knowing that a conservative like McClintock simply can't win statewide anymore in an increasingly liberal state like California._

In this case, however, all of the intangibles mitigate for conservatives to support Pat Toomey even if Arlen Specter is arguably more "electable" in the Fall.

First, Senate control is really not at stake for Republicans barring a landslide defeat across the board (which would likely sweep Specter away as well).

Second, Specter would become Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and be in a position to block President Bush's more conserative nominees; A scary prospect, especially when we may have two or three Supreme Court vacancies next term;

Third, he would be 80 when his term is complete; He therefore effectively after re-election becomes a lame duck who will be free to indulge his liberal instincts and, like John McCain, become one of the media's favorite voices of "moderation" to which they can use to show how "out of the mainstream" conservatives are.

Fourth, he has had some major health problems recently and if he were to be unable to finish his term, then he would be replaced by a Dem.

Finally, unlike states like Rhode Island or New Jersey where ONLY RINOS can get elected statewide, Pennsylvania has elected and re-elected Senator Santorum, which indicates to me that Toomey would indeed have a fighting chance against the liberal Congressman Hoeffel.

All in all, I am squarely behind Toomey and a win here would be a HUGE message to send to other RINO incumbents about paying attention to their base....