Ridge mulls possible bid for Specter's Senate seat

[RamboLiberal]

Source: Philadelphia Inquirer/AP

HARRISBURG, Pa. - The chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee says Tom Ridge may challenge Sen. Arlen Specter's bid for a sixth term in Pennsylvania.

Texas Sen. John Cornyn confirmed to an Associated Press reporter Tuesday that Ridge is considering mounting a campaign for the GOP nomination next year.

Ridge is one of Pennsylvania's best-known politicians. He was a congressman from Erie before he was elected to the first of two terms as governor in 1994. Ridge left the governorship when President George W. Bush tapped him as the nation's first homeland security chief following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

Specter announced last month that he was switching from Republican to Democrat because the GOP had become too conservative and he felt he was unlikely to win the nomination for re-election.


Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/state/pennsylvania/20090505_ap_ridgemullspossiblebidforspecterssenateseat.html

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PA Dems better damn well mount a challenge to DINO Specter in 2010 if they want to hold on to this seat. I could see the GOP establishment backing Ridge with the endorsements & money. I don't know if the electorate is too looney to prefer to lose with Toomey or possibly win with Ridge.

[napi21]

1. I don't like Ridge, and I don't think most Pa. Pubs do either.

#1 he's for a woman's choice which ticks off most of the RWers. I lived in Pgh. when he was governor. I didn't like him then either! IMO he's an a** kissing whimp. Look at his record with DHS. <r/ color code!

[AlinPA]

2. For some crazy reason, people here like him. Can't figure it out. He will beat

Specter in the general, pulling in some disaffected Republicans who switched registration to Democrat.

[mvd]

4. This would be too bad, because PA is one of our better chances to get a non-DINO in

I sure hope it's worth it for the next two years to have a possible Repuke gain in 2010. Specter IS slightly better than Ridge, so I would hold my nose and vote for Specter in the general election.

[TheCowsCameHome]

3. Even though he's living in MD? Heh, heh. Good luck with that.

[RamboLiberal]

5. I wouldn't laugh to hard - he's polling only 3 points behind Specter

And Specter's going to lose any luster he got with Dems for switching. We have a lot of moderate Dems in this state who voted for Specter over Dem candidates. I could see them switching to Ridge.

After all Ridge won two terms as governor. And despite his stupid color-coding system I don't think the Homeland Security post did much harm to him. Ridge is not a stupid man and he can run a decent campaign.

In 1994, despite being little-known outside of northwest Pennsylvania, Ridge ran for governor of Pennsylvania, winning the election as a pro-choice Republican. He was reelected in 1998 with 57 percent of the vote in a four-way race. Ridge's share of the vote was the highest for a Republican governor in Pennsylvania (where Democrats outnumber Republicans by almost 500,000) in more than half a century. Ridge served as Governor until his resignation to become the Director of Homeland Security in 2001.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Ridge

[TheCowsCameHome]

6. He's not stupid, but if his residency comes into play, he may look stupid.

Let's hope so.

[RamboLiberal]

8. But he has time to move back to PA if he chooses to run n/t

[RamboLiberal]

7. Pat Toomey Ratchets Up Attack On Sen. Specter

In Pittsburgh to address the Commonwealth Foundation, former Congressman Pat Toomey, a Republican, sharpened his political attack on now Democrat Arlen Specter.

"The question that Pennsylvanians are going to be asking themselves is, can this man be trusted on anything," Toomey told KDKA Political Editor Jon Delano in an exclusive interview. "It's obvious that the only principle that's important to him is his own reelection."

"It was clear to him that he couldn't win an election, and since being in office is the only thing that matters to him, he just signed on to another party," he said.

But Toomey's not sure Specter will survive a Democratic primary against a real Democrat.

"Clearly he's betrayed a party that supported him for 30 years. How confident can Democrats be that he'll support the things that are important to them? Probably not terribly confident," Toomey said. "So I'll be surprised if he doesn't get a competitive primary."

http://kdka.com/politics/Pat.Toomey.attacks.2.1002039.html

[RamboLiberal]

9. GOP Poll: Ridge Leads Toomey In 2010 Pennsylvania Senate Primary -- By A Landslide

A new poll of Pennsylvania from Republican polling firm Public Opinion Strategies shows that former Gov. Tom Ridge (R-PA), who is reportedly considering a bid for the Senate seat now held by Republican-turned-Democrat Arlen Specter, would currently lead conservative candidate Pat Toomey in a 60%-23% landslide for the Republican primary.

Toomey's big lead over Specter in the primary polls spurred the incumbent to switch parties, which in turn created the question of whether the Republicans were guaranteed Toomey as the nominee, or whether another Republican could take him. Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), who is also vice chair of the NRSC, has openly said Toomey cannot win, so the establishment could understandably be eager for someone else. And if Ridge gets in, they just might have it.

Another key finding: In a general election match-up, Ridge currently leads Specter by 48%-41%, compared to Toomey trailing Specter by 49%-40%. The big question is whether Ridge's support is truly solid, or whether going through an actual campaign could wear him down through attacks coming from the right. (See an early sample of that right here.)

From the pollster's analysis, which reads practically like a draft movement's exhortation for Ridge to get in:

But, the strength of Ridge's candidacy is remarkable - fully two-thirds of voters in the state have a favorable impression of him, he leads the GOP primary by nearly 40 points, and he's leading the incumbent US Senator by seven points on the ballot.

http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/05/poll-ridge-leads-toomey-in-2010-pennsylvania-senate-primary----by-a-landslide.php?ref=fp1

This is pollster Specter used.

[underpants]

10. Ridge will now bust open coconuts with his massive forehead

:banghead: