After Win, Specter Looks To Fall Election (already distancing himself from Bush)

Associated Press | April 29, 2004 | Lara Jakes Jordon

[Russ]

Apr 28, 4:50 PM EDT

After Win, Specter Looks to Fall Election

By LARA JAKES JORDAN Associated Press Writer

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- After surviving a close scrape in the Republican primary, Sen. Arlen Specter turned his attention to the fall contest and began a campaign Wednesday that could put him at odds with the White House that helped him pull through.

The four-term moderate narrowly defeated conservative Rep. Pat Toomey, 51 percent to 49 percent, in Tuesday's primary after Toomey branded Specter as too liberal. The race was perhaps the most serious challenge yet to any Senate incumbent this season.

Specter will face Democratic Rep. Joe Hoeffel in November.

Less than a day after his primary victory, Specter touted his efforts to trim tax cuts, retain overtime pay for workers, resist school vouchers and continue embryonic stem-cell research - all in opposition to President Bush. The four-term Republican also called the situation in Iraq a "tinderbox" that could be a problem for the president in the fall elections.

"I intend to retain my independent voice, a voice I have always had," Specter said. "The 12 million people of Pennsylvania have not elected me to be a rubber stamp, and I will speak out where I think the necessity calls for it."

Despite his policy differences with the president, Specter said Bush's public support was key to his victory over Toomey. The race was so tight, he said, that the usually stoic Specter could not "stop my nervous system from gyrating a little" while watching vote tallies roll in.

Hoeffel, meanwhile, embarked on a 19-stop tour to raise his low statewide profile. The three-term suburban Philadelphia lawmaker predicted that Specter moved too far to the right in the Republican race to be successful in November.

"This primary has demonstrated that Arlen Specter is not the senator that he used to be," Hoeffel said. "He used to be a moderate maverick, but he is neither of those things. He's voting for a Republican program in Washington that's not working in Pennsylvania. He's their senator now - not ours."

The Democrats blasted Specter as a "political opportunist."

"He has taken every side of every issue for no other reason than to protect his political hide," said Brad Woodhouse, a spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. "He owes his political survival to George Bush, and he's now stuck with him and his right-wing policies."

Registered Democratic voters outnumber Republicans in Pennsylvania by nearly 389,000.

Specter has long enjoyed support within liberal-leaning unions and abortion-rights groups, and predicted he would attract Democrats and independents. He said he could help Bush in the fall by pulling moderates to the GOP ticket.

"My agreements with the president are more extensive than my disagreements," Specter said.

Specter spent $10 million to win the primary. As of April 7, he had $4.5 million in his campaign bank account to Hoeffel's $800,000.

That makes Specter tough to beat in November, said Wilkes University political scientist Thomas J. Baldino.

Specter's near-loss "will give Hoeffel some hope," Baldino said. "But as bad a beating as Specter took in term of his reputation, he will continue to raise and spend enough money to demonstrate he can win."

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[NittanyLion]

Just like Fisher didn't stand a prayer, and I had to listen to all these Fisher people refuse to accept reality, and have the exact same conversations with them... you are just more of the same.... History doesn't lie, the facts are right there, you just choose to ignore them.

So you'd characterize Toomey as closer to Fisher than to Santorum?

LOL. Interesting take.

[Diddle E. Squat]

No, I'm a ticked off conservative who was there in PA when school vouchers were shot down, and the saddest part was how Central PA and suburban conservatives killed the plan. Not racism, just facts, deal with it. A shameful chapter in the history of PA conservatism.

And of course your assumption about me is knee-jerk and completely false, but I'm not surprised.

[ought-six]

The threat of Specter winning is that he will chair the judicial committee, where he is in lockstep with the libs who have railroaded Bush's judicial nominees. It's not so bad that he's just in the senate, but as the chair of the judicial committee the implications are too terrible to contemplate.

[Frank T]

"C) Santorum wins moderates and democrats in the state.. he doesn't run around the state using trademarked slogans of right wing organizations as his mantra."

Apparenty Toomey won the votes of moderates and democrats too, if he won three terms in congress from a Democrat-leaning distric.

[Zack Nguyen]

Here are some tidbits from the article you posted on Specter's heavy influence in getting Santorum elected.

It is true that Spectre did help Santorum and did provide a couple of staff members to help him. But look at this quote:

The Republican moderate establishment, led by Specter, was decidedly unhappy with the prospect of Santorum, whom they viewed as too conservative and too pro-life. As the primary season unfolded, Specter began fishing for a primary challenger. Theresa Heinz, wife of former Senator John Heinz, David and Julie Eisenhower, and Barbara Hafer, the state's Auditor General, were mentioned as possibilities.

The article also clearly states that the close nature of the race was due to two key mistakes on the part of Sanatorum, not because Spectre "arranged" his victory.

Finally, Spectre is not mentioned as one of the six factors that enabled Santorum to win. So I think your assumption that Santorum "owed" Spectre because Spectre "arranged" for him to win is not the case.

[ought-six]

"Who is in line behind Specter as a Republican on the Judiciary Committee to chair it?"

John Kyl.

[HamiltonJay]

PA, keep up the denial... its fine. Every election cycle its the same crap.

Fisher didn't stand a chance, when he became the candidate the same nuts crawled out of the woodwork claiming he could win state wide... he didn't.

The only difference this time is fortunately the Republican voters in the primary decided to short circuit the sure loss in November to preserve control of the Senate. Because they have seen these types of canidates chewed up and spit out by philly time and time and time again.

What arguments are the pro toomey people offering that he could win? He had a strong showing in Pittsburgh... Yes he did, in the REPUBLICAN PRIMARY.. only republicans were voting... and that showing even among those was not enough to give him a primary win.

He gave Specter a run, but didn't beat him, among republicans... yet in a state where democrats outnumber republicans by 400-500k he was going to win the primary in a race that would have been highly polarized? That's denial.

[HamiltonJay]

Frank,

A district is not statewide. Equating being able to win a district that is heavily democratic registered as being able to win state wide is comical.

There are tons of people who win repeatedly in districts that are dominated by the other party throughout the country. Few of these however go on to enjoy state wide victories.

That's like saying I'm the biggest band in bloomfield, so therefor I should be able to be the biggest band in PA.

[HamiltonJay]

In terms of his ability in a statewide race, yes absolutely.

[Mrs. Ranger]

Approx 7.5Million registered voters in the state. 3.2 Million R, 3.7 Million D and .7 Million OTHER.


Then, according to your logic, why should I even bother to go vote in Nov.? It'll be Kerry/Hoffoel and every other Dim, no matter what.

[Ciexyz]

I will vote for the Green party candidate in Nov. before I vote for Specter.

Fine, say hello to your next PA Senator, Mr. Hoeffel.

I'm not happy with all of Specter's positions. But I do believe that the election is about more than stem cell research, school vouchers, etc.

I never warmed up to Toomey. I got a weird feeling just looking at the guy. I'd rather vote for the guy that gives weather news on The Weather Channel than vote for Toomey. At least I trust the Weather Channel guy to give me the correct weather. Now do you understand? Toomey never won me over--although IF he had won, then I would have supported him in Nov.

[Frank T]

Your point was, "Santorum wins moderates and democrats" in the state. What from Toomey's record goes against him doing the same thing?

Enjoy the Toomey write-ins. Although voting for the Dem counts for two, in sending Specter to his retirement.

[bvw]

" I never warmed up to Toomey. I got a weird feeling just looking at the guy."

That is called feelings. Nothing more than feelings.

And given the spurious negativity -- bad-mouthing.

Do try to be rational and positive, eh?

[Russ]

I'm supposed to be happy with Arlen's stance on school vouchers because people in Central Pa. and the suburbs opposed them?? I have been in favor of vouchers since they were first proposed. You have just gioven me one more reason not to vote for Specter.

[Ciexyz]

Do try to be rational and positive, eh?

I could say the same thing to you Toomey supporters. Your man lost. Get over it.

You're not going to get everything you want in the political arena. I'm not going to get everything I want from Senator Specter. It's called compromise. It's called politics. It's what you have to do to win. Be realistic. Toomey could never carry the state of PA.

[Russ]

You're right, of course. I couldn't vote for the Green Party candidate any more than I would vote for the Libertarian. I will probably just skip over that office on the ballot in November.

[miloklancy]

I'm very disappointed with the Republicans in the Senate in their luke warm support for Bush's re-election efforts. People like Specter, Sen. John McCain, Sen. Richard Lugar, and sadly my representative and only GOP Senator from Nebraska, Chuck Hagel, have all given pretty luke warm support to Bush's policies on Iraq. Bush's efforts in the 2002 election season gave the GOP the Senate back and how do these Senators repay him, by isolating themselves from him. Just more evidence that the Senate is the worst legislative body we have on the national level.

[Ciexyz]

I will probably just skip over that office on the ballot in November.

And Mr. Hoeffel will thank you for it.

[HamiltonJay]

Mrs. Ranger,

I did not say that Republicans cannot win in PA. In fact I said quite the contrary. I said for a republican to win in pa they MUST be able to attract moderate and even some Democratic voters to win.

You don't win in politics in general, at all, by alienating moderate voters, I don't care what political persuation you are.

If you run a race that turns off moderates, or swing voters, you wind up with nothing but the base voting. Because of Pennsylvania's make up politically if you do that, the Democrat wins every time, simply because of the numbers.

A Hoeffoel/Toomey election would have been just that... Toomey boxed himself into his base, and did nothing to get out from it... he destined himself to failure in the general by the tack he decided to take in the primary. He was not going to be able to get swing or moderate voters much less democrats to cross over. Hoffoel being ideologically liberal v Toomey hard ideologically conservative = moderates and swing largely stay home and the base votes for their parties candidate = Hoffoel wins.

Republicans can win statewide, and have won state wide, and yes even republicans with conservative ideals can win state wide here. Santorum is probably the most visible, but not the only one.

However they win by being able to attract not alienate the middle... Toomey's campaign and backers were all about firebrand... his money was coming from a group that is trying to take control of the republican leadership because they think they are too moderate...Toomey's backers didn't want someone who was going to try to get the middle... they want the right and the further right the better.... thats why they were backing Toomey and also why they are financing people like Larry Klayman down in Florida.

You have to be able to cross over as a republican to win in Pennsylvania, you have to be able to attract swing and moderates of both parties to win. You cannot rely on your base alone to carry you, the numbers in this state aren't there for republicans to do that. They either reach out, or don't win.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Your post implied that Specter was not conservative because he is against vouchers. I gave you an example, in PA no less, where vouchers programs were stopped by conservatives.

I don't care for Specter, wish he had lost, but there's a lot of BS and hype being thrown out since the primary. The real question(as always in politics) is now that the vote is over, what next is the best way to advance conservatism, even if incrementally. Bottom line is that Specter stinks, but the Dem nominee is far worse(whether sore losers want to admit it or not). Suicide and running backwards for purity is ridiculously counterproductive. But I get the sense that some conservative utopians are more interested in expressing their emotions, results be danged, than advancing conservatism.