Specter Will Haunt PA Dems In General Election
Arlen Specter has long been the most liberal, pro-female senator in Pennsylvania. I can understand why he appeals to the Democrats—I’m one and he appeals to me. But the National Dem leaders have sold out the people in Pennsylvania.
In exchange for Specter’s defection to the Democratic side of the aisle, they get an almost filibuster proof voting bloc, so they can ram through whatever legislation they need. But that bloc will only be good until the general election in 2010. Specter has been trailing Toomey by 20 points—however there several liberal, experienced Democratic contenders who could have gone up against Toomey. But in putting an aging, sick Republican on the Democratic ticket instead, the Democratic National leaders are guaranteeing the election of conservative candidate Pat Toomey. Meaning we will end up with two conservative leaders—because Senator Bob Casey is a very conservative politician and is only in office because Pennsylvania Democrats needed a Dem version of Rick Santorum to unseat Santorum.
The Dem leaders may think they’ve put a nail in the Republican coffin with this move, but what they’re really killing is the loyalty of long term PA Democrats.
Specter quits GOP, will run as Democrat | Philadelphia Inquirer | 04/29/2009.
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There’s no way in hell Pat Toomey wins the general in PA. It’s like worrying about Palin taking on Obama in 2012. Not a chance.
You forget that this is a state that elected Rick Santorum. Several times. And Casey is just a Dem version of Santorum, so yeah, I think Toomey could easily defeat Specter.
In response to another comment. See in context »Nora, I know you bleed cheesesteak, so I hesitate to doubt you, but 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania left the GOP to vote in the Obama-Clinton primary, and it doesn’t look like they’re going back. One would have to believe that if Toomey were able to beat Specter in 2010, it’s because the economy never recovered, and Toomey would be beating any Democrat.
Yeah but Specter is no Obama….
Now I’m hungry for cheesesteak:)
In response to another comment. See in context »Sorry Nora but I totally disagree with your premise and frankly your data too. Specter trails Toomey in a primary match up, not a general election match up:
“According to the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, Specter trails former Congressman Pat Toomey in the Republican primary by 41 percent to 27 percent.
Forty-five percent of registered voters said they had a “favorable” opinion of Specter. But among registered Republicans, 47 percent said they had an “unfavorable” opinion of the six-term Senator. Overall, 52 percent of voters approve of the job Specter is doing, the poll found.”
The only chance a repug has of winning the state in the next senate election is if they put up a moderate, a Tom Ridge type, very unlikely to happen considering who exactly makes up the PA GOP at this time in history. Most, if not all of the moderates left the party in order to vote for either Obama or Clinton in Democratic primaries. The Dems now hold over a 1 million registered voter lead in the state. Now that Specter has crossed over he will have the full support of Rendell’s machine, and the big Democratic money from the Philadelphia area. Specter will be easily re-elected and the facts bare that out.
Well, I beg to disagree. I’ve knocked on a lot of doors for the Democrats, both in the mid-state and in the Philadelphia suburbs.
And I’ll say it again: Specter is not Obama. The party faithful won’t be rallying around a frail 80 year old converted Republican.
In response to another comment. See in context »The poll data, and the fact that both Rendell and the president will be vigorously supporting him says he’s a shoe in. Sorry but I find your point of view built on emotion and not on facts. I can certainly appreciate your desire to see a more liberal Democrat in the seat, and I can understand your disappointment in the fact that’s not going to happen, but I do sense that you have a lingering resentment at the Democratic Party and that may be coloring your opinion of how things will turn out.
In response to another comment. See in context »Theory B: Specter cut a deal with the national Dem leaders to do this so they could have a filibuster majority. In exchange, he announces next winter that he won’t run again and walks away with a sweet consulting deal.
In response to another comment. See in context »Not exactly sure what the point of this would be? Do you mean won’t run again in 2010, or 2016?
In response to another comment. See in context »2010.
Not sure I understand the point then, this was all about Specter not wanting to leave the Senate. I’m sure if he did he wouldn’t have much trouble finding a high paying gig. Also I’m really not understanding why you are so upset by all of this. As you said you’ve voted for the man. I’m not a fan of his, but find him acceptable, and as the saying goes, a bird in the hand….
In response to another comment. See in context »Who cares about Specter in 2010? The Democrats’ window is now. If they can’t get their agenda passed in 2009, it won’t get easier. Their political capital will only decrease as Obama spends it.
Specter just needs to vote Democratic for two years. By then, who knows what the political landscape will look like? The GOP is down, but not out.
the dems are making a huge mistake by going after a supermajority…then they can’t blame anyone when they get completely out of control and pass ridiculous legislation. This has happened before with both parties.
In response to another comment. See in context »The Dem leaders may think they’ve put a nail in the Republican coffin with this move, but what they’re really killing is the loyalty of long term PA Democrats.
Yeah, but that’s so 18 months away.
They got to consider the here and now.
Leave tomorrow for tomorrow.
The position makes the debate seem extreme. Like there needs to be some massive Democratic agenda plus no middle ground in terms of the voters. Obama won because he appealed to people outside of the party machines and to a group of voters who care rather than vote with a specific ticket.