pa what if: 2006

[WalterMitty]

what if santorum saw the writing on the wall and stepped aside. 

tom ridge becomes the republican candidate.

how does the little casey vs. ridge race shape up?

[WalterMitty]

also as a follow-up, would a ridge candidacy have saved some of the pa congressional republicans that lost?

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Casey still wins easily:

1-He's the best candidate the Democrats could get
2-No Republican was wining PA in that climate

He might've saved Fitzpatrick and Hart though.

[Jake]

Ridge is still popular enough that he would've won it. Casey ran on his name and Santorum record, neither of those would've been relevant in this race. I don't see him saving anyone though, Fitzpatrick at the very best.

[Keystone Phil]

Casey would have still won. Ridge is popular but social conservatives would be even more willing to go with Casey, hurting any Republican in a statewide race. I don't know that Santorum had all that much to do with Hart and Fitz going down. I guess they could have run closer to their Senate nominee but it probably wouldn't have made that much of a difference. Hart's campaign sucked (losing by four points when you should have won by over ten? Come on...) and Fitz just got caught up in a very bad national storm.

[Conan]

PA is a slightly democratic state and Casey appeals to moderate. Ridge is old news and was a member of the Bush admin. He would have lost.

[Wakie]

Casey would still win but I think Ridge would have a stronger showing.  Additionally we'd be discussing whether or not Santorum would have won had he run (w/ certain GOP'ers arguing he would).

[bullmoose88]

PA is a slightly democratic state and Casey appeals to moderate. Ridge is old news and was a member of the Bush admin. He would have lost.

Ridge might have been able to bring enough votes to Fitz to win...I say might since the margin is small, but on the other hand it seems Murphy ran a damn good campaign...but in a Democratic year like this, plus Ridge's time in the Bush admin, may not be the positive some think it could be.

Schweiker on the other hand, if he could remind people who he was might have been able to defeat casey.

But Casey pretty much had this one in his pocket.