• Arlen Specter,  Pat Toomey,  Polling

    Poll Watch: Pat Toomey Beating Arlen Specter by 14 Points in Pennsylvania GOP Primary Race

    March 25, 2009 /
    specter feb 27 2009

    Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., at podium, is applauded by Gov. Ed Rendell, left, Rep. Allyson Schwartz, D-Pa., Mayor Michael Nutter, University of Pennsylvania President Amy Gutmann, Rep. Chaka Fattah, D-Pa., Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Pa., Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Vice President Joe Biden, during a reception at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Friday, Feb. 27, 2009. The reception was held to honor Specter for his vote for the economic stimulus package

    The latest polling is not favorable to incumbent Pennsylvania GOP Senator Arlen Specter.

    Sen. Arlen Specter’s decision to come out against the Employee Free Choice Act might have come at just the right time.
     
    The Pennsylvania Republican trails former Rep. Pat Toomey by double digits in the first head-to-head poll of their ensuing primary match-up.

    The Quinnipiac poll, released Wednesday, shows the embattled Specter behind Toomey, 41-27, even though 73 percent of Republicans say they don’t know enough about the challenger to form an opinion.
     
    The poll comes on the heels of Specter’s announcement Tuesday that he would vote against cloture on the union-organizing Employee Free Choice Act, or card-check. Specter’s decision will likely kill the bill for this Congress, as he was a pivotal vote, and should help his standing with some conservatives.
     
    The Quinnipiac poll was conducted before Specter’s announcement Tuesday afternoon. It echoes a Susquehanna poll from last month that showed 66 percent of GOP voters want someone new and only 26 percent would vote to keep Specter.

    Obviously, Specter is moving RIGHT to shore up GOP primary support. First, it is the Card Check announcement and today Specter will be meeting with Grover Norquist’s weekly conservative meeting. Norquist has supported Specter in the past.

    But….. those photos of all of the Democrats back slapping Specter for his vote on the Obama Economic Stimulus Bill (only 1 of 3 GOP Senators to do so) will be coming back to bite Specter in the ass come primary election time.

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    Senator Arlen Specter: I AM Running as a Republican on the Republican Ticket

    GOP Senators Collins, Specter and Snowe: COMRADES of the Month

    Pat Toomey to Challenge GOP Senator Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania Primary Race?

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  • Arlen Specter,  Pat Toomey

    Senator Arlen Specter: I AM Running as a Republican on the Republican Ticket

    March 19, 2009 /
    Arlen Specter and Biden

    Vice President Joe Biden, center right, and Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., center left, shake hands as Rep. Patrick Murphy, D-Pa., left and Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa., applaud during a reception at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Friday, Feb. 27, 2009. The reception was held to honor Specter for his vote for the economic stimulus package

    Specter may run as a Republican but may NOT win the GOP primary.

    The Pennsylvania senior senator is not considering running as an Independent, as had been “reported” earlier Wednesday in The Hill.

    “To eliminate any doubt, I am a Republican and I am running for re-election in 2010 as a Republican on the Republican ticket,’‘ Specter said Wednesday evening.

    It was a dizzying day or two for Specter, who has been wooed by Gov. Ed Rendell and Vice President Joe Biden to return to his Democrat roots and switch parties. But the 79-year-old Specter is sticking with the GOP, even though the more conservative faction of the party has vowed to defeat Specter in a GOP primary.

    However, should he lose the GOP primary to Club for Growth President Pat Toomey will Specter then rule out an independent run for the Senate?

    He will play those cards later – obviously.

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  • Arlen Specter,  Pat Toomey

    Pat Toomey to Challenge GOP Senator Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania Primary Race?

    March 2, 2009 /
    pat toomey

    Former GOP Congressman and Club for Growth President Pat Toomey

    Looks like there may be a re-match of the race from six years ago in which Toomey lost in the Republican primary election by ONLY 1.7%.

    Former Congressman Pat Toomey (R, PA-15), current Club for Growth President, just announced on Bobby Gunther Walsh’s 1-On-1 Show, WAEB, 790AM, that a Primary challenge to Senator Arlen Specter is “now back on the table.”

    Mr. Toomey acknowledged that “Senator Specter cast the deciding vote on the very worrisome stimulus Bill, when he could have negotiated with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and President Obama for more productive tax cuts and less wasteful spending.” Pennsylvanians need to do some soul searching about who will really represent us in the Senate.

    The latest poll is unfavorable for Specter winning re-election.

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