Santorum and Obama - Who's Next 2005

[Smash255]

When did I say Santorum was untouchable? Given his likely opposition, he is very likely to win re-election, in my opinion. Untouchable would be like Craig Thomas (R) in Wyoming. I've never compared Santorum's chances to that of an untouchable.

As for ACU ratings, in 2000, Santorum had a 100 rating. I don't know how they came up with that. It seems too high. However, you decided to use the ACU argument and your argument is weak. Since his last re-election, according to these numbers, he has dropped. So, using these ratings, you can actually say that he was re-elected in 2000 being more conservative than he probably will be in 2006.

You continue to say Santorum is anti-gay and all that. It's nothing new so I hope that when he is asked during a debate "Do you hate gays?" and he gives you an answer that you can accept it and move on.

Yes in 2000 his ACU rating was 100, but the years before that were in the 80's for the mostt part.  He pretty much ran his campaign as someone who is just slightly right of Center.  He was able to run a campaign like that for 2 main reasons.  1 his opponent did a poor job of pointing out that Santorum was actually well to the right of how he was running and 2.  Santorum really only had 1 year where he had a very conservative voting record.  prior years his voting record although being conservative wasn't very Conservative.  he can't run on that anymore because his voting record of the last 4 years has been very Conservative.  If he continues to have a voting record similar he will be running in 2006, with his seventh straight year of having a very conservative voting record.  As opposed to whjen he ran in 2000, where he had a very Conservative voting record for 1 year, but his voting record in the years prior despite being Conservative wasn't very Conservative

Once again I'll point out that people know about his conservative voting record. They approve of the job he is doing. The Dems are likely to put up a more liberal candidate that won't be able to connect well with the people of PA.

Other than one year his voting record when he ran in 2000 wasn't as Conservative as his voting record over the past few years.  During the 90's Santorum was Conservative, but his voting record was far more moderate than its been over the last few years.  He was basically able to run his 2000 campaign as someone who is slightly to the right of Center.  He won't be able to run that type of close to a moderate campaign in 2006

I'll just keep saying it even though you refuse to accept the point: People know of his record. He is one of the most popular figures in the state. He has high approval ratings and the lowest disapproval ratings. I want you to argue with the people that like him and tell him "You can't like him. He ran a center-right campaign in 2000. His past voting record was like this. Don't you get it? You can't like him."

He has decnet approval ratings, they are NOT through the roof.  The point I'm simply making is, the type of campaign which he ran in 2000 in which he was able to reach out toward middle of the road type voters he is NOT going to be able to do in 2006.  He can NOT run on the same type of basically a moderate platform as he did in 2006

They're not through the roof but they are some of the highest, if not the highest, approval ratings in the state! What don't you understand? He also has the lowest disapproval ratings.

Santorum might not do as well as he did in 2000 when it comes to moderate voters but he has built up enough of a base among conservatives in the state and especially western PA residents that will allow him to win re-election in 2006.

many of the Conservative Dems in Western PA you talk about so much also tends to be Union workers.  Santorum's union record is abysmal, especiially over the last few years.  So despite sharing some of his Conservative views I think it will be really hard for Santorum to do much of anything with the Conservative Dems in Western PA due to his very anti-Union record, especially within the last few years

[Keystone Phil]

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Why do they say that they approve of the job he is doing if he's so "anti-union?"

[Smash255]

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Why do they say that they approve of the job he is doing if he's so "anti-union?"

You have mentioned his overall approval in the low to mid 50's.  Not sure what his approval among unionists are, but I would pretty much bet its lower.  Regardless in a battle, his union record will be a major topic and thats really going to hurt him among those in Unions.

[Keystone Phil]

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Why do they say that they approve of the job he is doing if he's so "anti-union?"

 Not sure what his approval among unionists are, but I would pretty much bet its lower. 

The PA Senate race is decided by all eligible voters, not just union members.

[Smash255]

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Why do they say that they approve of the job he is doing if he's so "anti-union?"

 Not sure what his approval among unionists are, but I would pretty much bet its lower. 

The PA Senate race is decided by all eligible voters, not just union members.

Yes I know that, but you have said on many occasions that the way Santorum will make up for the Moderate Republicans vote against him is through Conservative Dems in Western PA.  However, many of those Conservative Dems are Union Members.  So how is Santorum going make up for those Moderate Reps that defect from him through Conservatve Unionized Dems in Western PA?//

[J. J.]

Increasingly, the conservative Union members are conservatives first and union members second.

[Smash255]

Increasingly, the conservative Union members are conservatives first and union members second.

That may be true, but Santorum's union  record is very very poor, he is rated among the worst senators in the country when it comes down to unions.  So despite the fact that they may be conservatives first & union members second the fact his union record is so extreme & so poor that could really hurt him in that regard

[danwxman]

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Why do they say that they approve of the job he is doing if he's so "anti-union?"

 Not sure what his approval among unionists are, but I would pretty much bet its lower.

The PA Senate race is decided by all eligible voters, not just union members.

Yes I know that, but you have said on many occasions that the way Santorum will make up for the Moderate Republicans vote against him is through Conservative Dems in Western PA.  However, many of those Conservative Dems are Union Members.  So how is Santorum going make up for those Moderate Reps that defect from him through Conservatve Unionized Dems in Western PA?//

The union conservative Dems voted Bush by a small margin --- that doesn't mean they will support Santorum. I think they voted Bush at the Presidential level (because of terrorism and social issues) but this *doesn't* mean they would support Santorum because of those same issues. If the Democrat is popular out there and he hammers the Bush economic record...he could very easily win those conservative Dems.

[TeePee4Prez]

The conservative Dem swing is quite simple- the Catholic church.  I see it to a small extent here, but it's much larger in western PA.  I know the mentality.  You would think getting these people back home to the Dems would be easy, but in the case of my father, it has been quite difficult.  He has virtually bought every stupid sound byte dished out by Karl Rove and the various bishops except for maybe the anti-union ones.  Like him, most of these people are also pissed at the DNC not letting Bob Casey speak in 1992 at the Convention.  I think that was a part of the Dems demise in PA are the older "I was once a Democrat" folk remember that to this day and now could be easily sold on the fact the Dems are the "immoral party".  The good news about PA in the long run is the 18-34 vote went for Kerry by 34 points!  This was one of the highest in the nation.  What this will equate to in 2006, time will tell.

[Хahar 🤔]

I wouldn't worry about Rick to much...even if he survives re-election in 2006 (not a sure thing), he'll be damaged goods.

I like how everyone is making his 2006 race into a big deal. He's going to win it and it won't be a one or two point election either.

By the way moose, Santorum is likely to become the next Majority leader. So much for being damaged goods...

[Insert BRTD impression here]

[Keystone Phil]

I wouldn't worry about Rick to much...even if he survives re-election in 2006 (not a sure thing), he'll be damaged goods.

I like how everyone is making his 2006 race into a big deal. He's going to win it and it won't be a one or two point election either.

By the way moose, Santorum is likely to become the next Majority leader. So much for being damaged goods...

[Insert BRTD impression here]

Knocking off the bumping, troll.