He supported Specter because the general thought was that control of the Senate, and control of the Judiciary Committee, was at stake—along with the ability to get confirmation of President Bush’s judicial nominees. Santorum believed that Specter could win in the general election and that Toomey could not. In that particular year, he was probably correct. After the pendulum swung a few years later, Toomey was able to get elected. But it was a different story when he first ran.
You may not agree with Santorum’s reasoning concerning his support for Specter, but he did it in an effort to advance the conservative agenda.
In my book, intentions count for something, even if it proves a decision was a mistake.
Hopefully he’ll get another crack at Congress. I can forgive people for making mistakes, if those mistakes were done with the best of intents.
As many here will be doing when they vote against Obama in 2012 regardless of who the GOP nominee is.
Oh please. Santorum did it to advance his own position in the Republican party. He may have deluded himself into rationalizing otherwise, but Toomey would've won that race in the general election.
Some other Freeper on this thread accused Pennsylvanians like me of being able to support Newt while not being able to support Rick. That's not right. I just view Rick the same way I view Newt - as a tool. I used to believe in Rick Santorum. I went door to door for the guy. I donated money to his campaigns. My wife made phone calls. When he supported Arlen Specter he let us down. Turns out, he was just another political hack.
There is a difference between voting for a guy and merely voting against the other guy. If I'm forced to vote for Newt or Rick, I'll be voting against Obama. I may even capaign, but make no mistake I'll be campaigning against Obama.