PA: Rasmussen: Toomey leads Specter, Sestak leads Toomey

[Padfoot]

Though I hold substantially less esteem for Senator Spector since he left the GOP, it must be said that being a moderate ain't much fun these days.

As difficult as it is to be a moderate Republican, the gods of politics do not look favorably upon party-switchers.  He would have been better off fighting to the bitter end in the GOP primary and at least being a standard-bearer for the dwindling numbers of voters who long for statesmenship and virtue instead of ideological madness and vitriol.

I think his chances would have been better if he'd just gone indy and then caucused with the Democrats instead of a full blown party switch.  Switching parties opens you up to more accusations of hypocrisy than going indy does.  Granted, Pennsylvania is probably a hard state to run in without a party but I think Specter could have pulled it off.

Actually, come to think of it, this is what the moderates should have done from the beginning.  Specter, Collins, and Snowe should have all left the GOP simultaneously and created their own party.  I'm sure they could have gotten some house members to join them as well.

BAD IDEA.  Well good for them personally so that they can sleep at night, but bad for America in general.

Every moderate that leaves the Republican Party causes said Party to move towards its extremist wing - same is true of Democrats.

Too many self-described centrists and moderates choose to be "Independent" or "Vote for the man and not the Party" etc.   Many times these voters hold the cards in the general election, but these attitudes cause them to only have a choice between a tweedle-dum right-winger and a tweedle-dee left-winger.

Not if they form their own party though.  If there is a viable third option to tweedle-dum and tweedle-dee, as you so aptly named them, then sanity can prevail.  The two-party oligarchy will continue to produce extremists as long as it is allowed to continue existing.  Neither party will ever self-moderate even if the moderates stay.  They will just continue to toss the middle back and forth between themselves.  But if the middle were to become its own party then we could finally stop this endless merry-go-round.

[biggzcorey]

Toomey is another Santorum, Sestak will probably win the primary and crush him by 10-15 points. If Spector win the primary (which I don't see happening), it might get a little closer.

[bullmoose88]

Toomey is another Santorum.

Not quite.  I spent 4 years in PA-15...I've seen Toomey debate etc.

Toomey and Santorum are similar (Both are pretty intelligent, well spoken guys-make no mistake)...but its gonna be harder than you'd think running the santorum playbook on Toomey.  You had a lot of easy things to attack with Santorum (Man on Dog for starters)...I dont think you have as many of these "holy sh**t he said that" quotes with Toomey (Toomey is at least more careful if not smarter than santorum.)


I'm still pro-specter...no idea how I'd go on Sestak-Toomey

[Alexander Hamilton]

Toomey is another Santorum.

I'm still pro-specter...no idea how I'd go on Sestak-Toomey

I would suggest Toomey

[ajc0918]

Toomey is another Santorum.

Not quite.  I spent 4 years in PA-15...I've seen Toomey debate etc.

Toomey and Santorum are similar (Both are pretty intelligent, well spoken guys-make no mistake)...but its gonna be harder than you'd think running the santorum playbook on Toomey.  You had a lot of easy things to attack with Santorum (Man on Dog for starters)...I dont think you have as many of these "holy sh**t he said that" quotes with Toomey (Toomey is at least more careful if not smarter than santorum.)


I'm still pro-specter...no idea how I'd go on Sestak-Toomey

Is Specter for or against the healthcare bill?

[The Age Wave]

Undecided between Sestak and Toomey. Used to be a strong Sestak supporter so he might be losing support with others as well.