Posted on 03/05/2009 5:16:39 PM PST by GOPGuide
Former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) will challenge Sen. Arlen Specter in a primary for the second straight cycle, according to Pennsylvania GOP sources.
The Allentown Morning Call reported Thursday that two friends of Toomey’s have said the Club for Growth chief has decided to enter the race.
Toomey narrowly lost to Specter in a 2004 primary by less than 1 percent and recently said he was considering another run.
The paper quotes Richard Thulin, leader of the Lehigh Valley Republican Network, saying in an e-mail to supporters that "Pat's formal announcement will be forthcoming.
"Interesting news," he wrote. "Pat Toomey asked me to let you know that he has decided to challenge Arlen Specter."
Reached late Thursday, Thulin confirmed the details of the e-mail, as first reported by the Morning Call.
A Pennsylvania GOP source confirmed that he has talked to Toomey in recent days, and Toomey said he would run.
Specter has drawn jeers from the GOP for his vote in favor of the current stimulus package, in which he was joined by only two other GOP senators.
A spokeswoman for the Club for Growth could not immediately be reached for comment.
Maybe Santorum can keep his mouth shut this time.
Bet he doesn’t loose this time.
Good news ...
Santorum should get out there early and apologize for stabbing him in the back and tell everyone he was wrong about specter.
Arlen is on his way out, either way. His cancer will get him before long...probably before 'ought ten.
I wouldn't be surprised if Arlen pulls out anyway....to spend his last days with his family, don't you know.
I'm hoping that even if he did speak up in favor of Specter it may not help all that much. Last time it wasn't only Santorum but Bush who backed Specter as well as the party. Hopefully, this time the party will take not of Specter's unpopularity and back Toomey. I hope...
The last time Spector had the backing of the White House administration. This time.... well, he’ll probably have the backing of the White House administration.
And until the election, this challenge can be used to beat him over the head and keep him voting our way.
Great news! He would have defeated Spectre had W not gone and campaigned for Spectre.
LOL- And so true.
Most of the voters of Pennsylvania are braindead. We couldn’t even defeat John Murtha, who has clearly trashed the military. If Toomey wins the primary, he loses to whichever member of the media the democrats decide to run.
Spector will not hold his seat, but he needs to be defeated by Toomey. He and other like-minded RINOs need to understand that losing is a consequence of being too liberal.
Ditto for Hugh Hewitt.
What about Lynn Swann? Did he get crushed against Big Daddy Ed Rendell?
the answer is no. Pennsylvania has, unfortunately been invaded by liberals living in brick colonials surrounding Philadelphia. They run the state. Lynn Swann didn’t have a chance either, Ed Rendell and his Philadelphia machine crushed him. Murtha gets elected time after time, the city of Pittsburgh constantly elects democrats even though the city is almost broke. the democrats in this state are very well organized, the GOP in this state is as bad as the national party, if not worse.
He connects with blue collar people much better than Rick Santorum.
And this time Bush won't be around to help his amnesty-supporting friend out.
Did they move in from NY and Massachusetts? Interesting the way the liberals flee from socialist tax and spend polices only to turn around and elect the same clowns they ran away from. They do it every time.
NY and NJ. Western Pennsylvania’s population has decreased while the area surrounding Philly has increased. Western PA is far more conservative than the east, but the east controls the state. I really hate to admit it, and I hope Pat Toomey challenges Specter, but I really don’t see how he can win the general election unless the dems run someone bad. Oh, wait, they ran someone bad (Casey) and he still won.
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