Hoo boy. This would be nice:
Former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), whom Specter defeated by less than two percentage points in 2004, said he hasn’t ruled out a 2010 rematch, but has no timetable for a decision.
Toomey, the president of the conservative Club for Growth, insisted Specter faces more hurdles than he did four years ago.
“He’s significantly more vulnerable now than he was in 2004,” Toomey said in an interview.
He argued that Specter’s core constituency in the GOP, which he called “liberal and moderate Republicans,” have since left the party and will be unable to vote in Pennsylvania’s closed Republican primary. That will make it more difficult for Specter to prevail against a conservative opponent, Toomey said.
Go for it, Pat!
Charlie Dents Democratic leaning district.
PA’s closed primaries could kill Specter. That’s another advantage of the long primary season this year.
I think it’s highly unlikely that Toomey could win the general election against a seasoned Democrat like Joe Sestak or Allyson Schwartz (my preferred candidate).
of the Democratic Majority.
Joking aside, really, don’t these guys get that they never, ever win?
Toomey beats Specter by 2 points, loses the general to a glass of water by 20 points.
Run Toomey Run!
I think an upset in the primary would be in large part, to our benefit here.
Please please please…
And we need Bob Smith to primary Judd Gregg (yes, I know Smith moved to Florida).
Could Arlen run as an indy if/when he loses in the primary given that his health holds up? What do the election laws in PA say about it?
Toomey is right that Specter is even more vulnerable to a challenge from the right than he was in 2004. Why doesn’t he also admit that unlike in 2004, he is unelectable in a statewide election? I know it was CW that Hoeffel would defeat Toomey in 2004, but from the ground Hoeffel looked weak and Toomey very strong. Times have changed though.
It would be even better if this drove Specter to retirement. I doubt that the state GOP will let a Toomey candidacy be shoved down it’s throat; they’ll probably want someone else. Toomey candidacy = nasty primary no matter what.
Don’t mean to sound ghoulish, BUT – Poor Arlan Specter is now battling a deadly form of cancer for the second time in less than four years. And the prognosis at his age for a complete remission is not good…
Democrats should start getting their ducks in a row. Any chance that Ed Rendell would consider a senate seat? He is term limited in 2010 and he won reelection is a landslide. He is the one person who could even beat Specter. True he is in his sixties but that is not old for a Senator.
…on the one hand Toomey running against Specter would help us take the PA seat. Particularly if Toomey somehow won. On the other hand he’s been doing a GREAT job with the Club for Growth. And i’d hate to see him leave his day job where he’s been doing yeoman work for the Democratic Party.