[UPDATE]: And if you think those numbers are bad, wait until Specter caves on card check to appease his new owners. His constituents are purely going to hate that.
Via Hot Air Headlines, nobody loves a traitor.
Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter’s 2010 reelection lead over Republican challenger Pat Toomey has shrunk to a tie with 45 percent for Specter and 44 percent for Toomey, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today. And voters say 49 – 40 percent that Sen. Specter does not deserve reelection.
[snip]
Specter, first elected to the Senate as a Republican in 1980 but who switched to the Democratic Party earlier this year, holds a commanding 55 – 23 percent lead over U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak in the race for the Democratic nomination. On the Republican side Toomey buries Peg Luksik 47 – 6 percent.
[snip]
In other trial matchups Specter would defeat Luksik 47 – 40 percent, while Toomey would edge Sestak 39 – 35 percent.
That last bit may be what dooms Sestak’s candidacy… except, of course, that the Democrats are already trying their best to sabotage his (and Maloney’s, over in NY) primary challenge anyway. Meanwhile, the NRSC is backing Toomey, thus avoiding the bloody primary that we were all expecting and dreading before Specter changed sides.
So: thanks for not retiring, Arlen! Make sure that you vote for health care rationing!
Moe Lane
Crossposted to Moe Lane.
Moe Lane
Steve Maley
KnightsofMalta
Dan Spencer
Dan McLaughlin
Whoops
Swamp_Yankee (Diary) Wednesday, July 22nd at 9:34AM EST (link)I’ll unpublish, but I’ll link here. I dont think the lack ofa primary is all bas though. At least not for this legislative session.
http://www.redstate.com/swamp_yankee/
But how can this be, when...
bk (Diary) Wednesday, July 22nd at 9:36AM EST (link)everybody KNOWS that there is NO WAY Toomey could EVER defeat any Democrat in PA.
BUH BYE Sphincter Boy
PaRep (Diary) Wednesday, July 22nd at 10:14AM EST (link)I'm kinda jealous, PaRep...thinking of all the satisfaction
eburke (Diary) Wednesday, July 22nd at 10:29AM EST (link)that you’ll derive from sauntering into the polling booth and playing an active role in sending Snarlin’ Arlen into well-deserved political oblivion.
“All that need be done for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.”
Unified Patriots
Steward: Hey, you live here in Pittsburgh?
6eorge Jetson (Diary) Wednesday, July 22nd at 10:32AM EST (link)Passenger 1: Uh.. no, actually, I –
Steward: Buh-bye! Buh-bye.
transcript
BUH BYE Sphincter Boy
PaRep (Diary) Wednesday, July 22nd at 10:14AM EST (link)Sorry double post !!
PaRep (Diary) Wednesday, July 22nd at 10:16AM EST (link)D’OH !!!
Republicans can re-take this
LibRick (Diary) Wednesday, July 22nd at 11:37AM EST (link)Senate seat. Specter has shown his main focus is about keeping his job at any cost, without regard to the electorate that got him there.
He’s an easy target. If the R’s push on this and have a good election turn-out, Specter is toast. The D’s are less that enthralled with Specter and their turn-out will be low.
Incredible News
DavidSage (Diary) Wednesday, July 22nd at 12:50PM EST (link)I’m amazed how much the polls have closed in this race.
I still would prefer to go head to head with a different Democrat besides Specter. As the polls indicate, it’s much more likely we would take that seat against the other potential Democrats. Against Specter, it’s still a tossup. Longtime incumbents like Specter are hard to take down, and Specter has been a Senator for nearly 30 years.
I still think Republicans should organize to try and secure a Sestak victory over Specter in the Democrat primary.
Regardless, if other polls show the same results, I think Toomey has a much better chance at beating Specter than I originally thought he would.
I'd say 'Good News', not 'Incredible'
The_Gadfly (Diary) Wednesday, July 22nd at 1:06PM EST (link)Incredible is something difficult to believe or outside of expectations. I expected Toomey to close the gap quickly. That’s why Snarlin Arlen left if the first place – Toomey was about to hand him his pink slip.
Republicans should stay out of the Dem primary. If Toomey faces Specter in the general, it will finally put the wooden stake through Snarlin Arlen’s political heart when he wins. And maybe some of the nimnutzes at the NRLC will finally get the message to back conservative candidates instead of squishes because, wait for it, …
THEY WIN!
I Just Want To Win
DavidSage (Diary) Wednesday, July 22nd at 1:16PM EST (link)I agree it would be sweeter to beat Specter in the general election, but it’s still riskier than going against a less-established candidate.
If Specter loses the Democrat primary, his career will be over. He’s too old and sick to try and run for Senator again in 6 years. The Democrats will not want him, and the Republicans certainly won’t take him back. It’s also highly doubtful that he’s going to take a step down and run for some lower political office.
The race is still a tossup with Toomey vs. Specter. I would prefer to go into a race where we have the edge.
I don’t want to risk losing an important Senate seat just because I want to rub a victory in Specter’s face.
I bet Lindsey 'goober' Graham is starting to feel dumb now
clement Wednesday, July 22nd at 2:27PM EST (link)I’m so glad Tom Ridge stayed out of this one. I’d like to see Lindsey go too. A state that can give us Jim DeMint can elect someone WAY better.
Nikki Haley
redtillimdead (Diary) Thursday, July 23rd at 3:20AM EST (link)Hopefully she becomes governor in 2010. But, if she loses, she can always challenge Graham in 2014.
Nancy Pelosi can kiss my asstroturf.