Toomey Now Leads Specter in New Pa. Poll

[Flash]

Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter has lost his edge over Pat Toomey, his expected Republican challenger in the 2010 Pennsylvania Senate race, according to a new poll released today by Quinnipiac University. Toomey, a former congressman, now has 43 percent to Specter's 42 percent, a reversal from last July when Specter held a one point lead over Toomey, 45-44.

However, the poll results also suggest that Specter is well positioned ahead of the Democratic primary next year. His leading opponent, Rep. Joe Sestak, is trailing him by 19 percentage points, holding only 25 to Specter's 44.

When pitted against each other in a hypothetical matchup, Sestak and Toomey are also close with Toomey barely ahead 38 to 35 percent. But this matchup has also received the highest percentage of undecided voters at 25 percent.

The poll of 1,100 Pennsylvania voters has a margin of error of three percentage points.

Despite his lead, however, Toomey is still largely unknown to Pennsylvanians, with 53 percent of voters saying that they "do not know enough about him to form an opinion." In a run against the high-profile Specter, whose approval rating has fallen to an all time low in the poll at 44 percent, Toomey's lack of fame and notoriety could turn into a positive. A final outcome, it seems, could rest on who reaches voters first to inform them about Toomey.

"Pat Toomey is pretty much a blank slate to half of the state's voters and that is both his opportunity and his potential Achilles Heel," said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "Given his own shortcomings in the public eye, the only way for Sen. Specter to defeat Toomey is to convince that huge group of voters that they won't like what they find out about Toomey. There will be a race to define Pat Toomey to Pennsylvanians and that race will likely determine who wins the Senate seat."

The poll also finds that President Obama's job approval rating has fallen from 56 to 49 percent in Pennsylvania, marking the first time that the number has dipped below 50 percent. His ratings on the economy and health care are also below 50 percent in the state.

Toomey 's poll number have risen slowly but consistently since early May, when he trailed Specter by 20 points following Specter's party switch. Specter's numbers, in contrast, have been rapidly declining over the last five months, leading to the close race as it stands now.

http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/10/01/politics/politicalhotsheet/entry5356459.shtml



Great news. I know Toomey is no Ron Paul, but at least he isn't Arlen Specter.

[Sandman33]

I can't see how STUPID people would have to be to keep voting Specter in. I mean the man ws on the WARREN COMMISSION! He sealed files pertaining to the murder of JFK and they just keep voting for him???

[Flash]

I can't see how STUPID people would have to be to keep voting Specter in. I mean the man ws on the WARREN COMMISSION! He sealed files pertaining to the murder of JFK and they just keep voting for him???

Specter is the worst, thankfully there's a good chance at getting him out.

[RonPaulFanInGA]

I can't see how STUPID people would have to be to keep voting Specter in. I mean the man ws on the WARREN COMMISSION! He sealed files pertaining to the murder of JFK and they just keep voting for him???

It's like there are bigger issues than John F. Kennedy's murder over 45 years ago or something.

[erowe1]

This is too bad. Toomey's record is actually even worse than Arlen Specter. And that's even according to the ratings of his own Club for Growth.

Edit: I suppose that's an exaggeration. Specter is positively horrible. But so is Toomey. So I guess they're about tied. If Toomey beats Specter, then PA will go from having a moderate Republican senator who exemplifies all that is wrong with his party to having a moderate Republican senator who exemplifies all that is wrong with his party.

[Krugerrand]

This is too bad. Toomey's record is actually even worse than Arlen Specter. And that's even according to the ratings of his own Club for Growth.

Edit: I suppose that's an exaggeration. Specter is positively horrible. But so is Toomey. So I guess they're about tied. If Toomey beats Specter, then PA will go from having a moderate Republican senator who exemplifies all that is wrong with his party to having a moderate Republican senator who exemplifies all that is wrong with his party.

The advantage Toomey brings is that he has no political clout. So, he can (hopefully) be removed easily.

[erowe1]

The advantage Toomey brings is that he has no political clout. So, he can (hopefully) be removed easily.

Maybe. But after Specter's party switch, I'm not sure that he has any clout any more either. And the GOP definitely recognizes how much of a boon Toomey is to it. He's kind of like Joe Wilson. They get to use him a symbol of conservatism that can be touted to court conservative voters who haven't looked at his actual record to make it look like the GOP is where they belong, while still being able to trust that he'll be a whole hearted supporter of the party centrists in legislation.

[Krugerrand]

Maybe. But after Specter's party switch, I'm not sure that he has any clout any more either. And the GOP definitely recognizes how much of a boon Toomey is to it. He's kind of like Joe Wilson. They get to use him a symbol of conservatism that can be touted to court conservative voters who haven't looked at his actual record to make it look like the GOP is where they belong, while still being able to trust that he'll be a whole hearted supporter of the party centrists in legislation.

that is some super sad truth.

[Pennsylvania]

Specter is positively horrible. But so is Toomey. So I guess they're about tied.

I agree. I was just looking over this guy's positions at ontheissues.org. He is a bona-fide neocon nightmare. I can't believe people at the Tea Parties were waving his signs around. I'm just going to write myself in again or something.

[Krugerrand]

I see this as the classic example of a RINO (Specter in years past) and a Neocon (Toomey). The differences are subtle but sure.

Would you rather be hit in the head with a baseball bat or a wooden club?

This is why I would really like to see a Ron Paul Democrat win the primary. PA is blue enough that if they just win the primary, they can pull off the general election.

[brandon]

I agree. I was just looking over this guy's positions at ontheissues.org. He is a bona-fide neocon nightmare. I can't believe people at the Tea Parties were waving his signs around. I'm just going to write myself in again or something.

Same.... Or more likely I won't vote

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

Who's running on the D side? A Marxist or a Larry McDonald Democrat?

Also, one thing I'm very leery of...do any of you believe that they would buck the Harry Reid's, Nancy Pelosi's, Rahm Emmanuels? They'd probably be found dead the next day. Just wondering......

[Pennsylvania]

Who's running on the D side? A Marxist or a Larry McDonald Democrat?

It's Joe Sestak, who is already a House Rep. I've checked him out too and he basically sucks on everything. We're dealing with 3 spineless statists, pure and simple. One possible strategy is running a libertarian democrat in Sestak's current district in case he loses the Senate bid. Apparently Ed Rendell fears this, because (perhaps due to party rules or state law, idk which) Sestak has already surrendered his House seat in his attempt for Senate. I'd say it's an unlikely win for us though and it's probably best to focus energy elsewere for now.

[AuH20]

It's Joe Sestak, who is already a House Rep. I've checked him out too and he basically sucks on everything. We're dealing with 3 spineless statists, pure and simple. One possible strategy is running a libertarian democrat in Sestak's current district in case he loses the Senate bid. Apparently Ed Rendell fears this, because (perhaps due to party rules or state law, idk which) Sestak has already surrendered his House seat in his attempt for Senate. I'd say it's an unlikely win for us though and it's probably best to focus energy elsewere for now.

Toomey isn't that bad. He was the former president of the Club for Growth. Give me Toomey anyday over the McConnells and Grahams of the world.

[Pennsylvania]

Toomey isn't that bad. He was the former president of the Club for Growth. Give me Toomey anyday over the McConnells and Grahams of the world.

Well, I'm pretty unforgiving about social issues to begin with :o When I hear somebody say they support a ban on flag-burning or some nonsense like that, it tells me instantly they have no real interest in freedom, just obedient red-white-and-blue patriotism. In my book, you don't get a free ride just because Specter is your opposition. F THAT.

As far as the club for growth, they gave the man a C rating. That might be because the Club for Growth is opposed to RINOs, but in what way is Toomey not a RINO?

Voted for the Iraq war? Check.
Drug warrior? Check.
Supports government intervention in marriage? Check.

Even more importantly, it's what we don't know about the guy..

Does he support abolishing the Federal Reserve System?
Does he support the legalization of competing currencies?
Is he opposed to military conscription?
Does he support the repeal of the USA Patriot Act?
Does he support the abolition of the income tax and the IRS?
If he's really for free trade, why does he support a ban on travel with Cuba?

Pretty shady this Toomey character...

And to top it all off, he got Mitt Romney's endorsement. LOL. MITT. ROMNEY... If I were one for strategic voting, I'd recommend everyone just go vote for Sestak or Specter, to send the message that we'd rather just keep the existing infectious bacterial colony than introduce a new strain.

[dr. hfn]

Vote for Peg Luskik, a constitutional conservative, not a neocon like Toomey!

[paulitics]

I would rather an ineffectual lump of shit like Specter in there, than another wolf in sheeps clothing like Toomey come who will only vote to take away more freedom, and do it draped in an american flag. By the time elections come around, the economic damage will already be done.

[dr. hfn]

http://pegluksik.com/

Why the fuck are there Toomey ads on this site?!!?!?!?

[torchbearer]

http://pegluksik.com/

Why the fuck are there Toomey ads on this site?!!?!?!?

If they interest you, please do click on them. ;)

[erowe1]

Toomey isn't that bad. He was the former president of the Club for Growth. Give me Toomey anyday over the McConnells and Grahams of the world.

Toomey IS that bad. The fact that he was president of CFG only makes his position as poster boy of conservatism more ironic, but not less hypocritical. In CFG's own scorecard for him when he was in Congress, he actually scored worse than Specter did as a Senator. Toomey voted for Medicare Part D, which is worse than the Obama bailout, and Specter voted against it.

Peg Luksik is definitely the choice for Ron Paul Republicans in the PA senate race.

[Pennsylvania]

//

[Pennsylvania]

Still waiting on response from the Luksik campaign.