Hatch: Toomey has no shot in Pa.

[ccharles000]

Still stunned by Arlen Specter's party switch, Republican senators are pessimistic about the chances for conservative GOP hopeful Pat Toomey in the Pennsylvania Senate race.

"I don't think there is anybody in the world who believes he can get elected senator there," said Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah, the vice chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Asked if the NRSC would back Toomey, Hatch said, "I don't think so" and that the party should look for "someone who can win there."

Toomey, a former Republican congressman from Pennsylvania, held a big lead over Specter in polling for the GOP primary, but he's already a long shot for the general election with Specter running as a Democrat.

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0409/21869.html

[fujiyama]

1. Could Tom Ridge actually win?

or is PA pretty much a done deal at this point in 2010?

[ccharles000]

2. ...

If the repugs in PA were going to vote out arlen in the primary Tom Ridge does not stand a chance in the primary as he is pro choice.

[Marsala]

4. Ridge could in theory win the general...

...but he'd never win the primary.

[old mark]

3. Correct. The GOPers want Toomey because he is an ULTRA RIGHT

against everything hate everyone NO NO NO type of conservative, which is their chosen "message" now. They would have nothing to do with Tom Ridge - he is too "liburl".

IMO, Specter's decision has killed the GOP in PA as on the national level. They will still have state Republicans, but there is NO ONE LEFT on the right at the Congressional level or higher, and no one waiting in the wings except Toomey and his associated scum.
FWIW, I emailed Specter yesterday, thanking him for his courage and welcoming him to the only good political party in America.
He is my Senator.
mark

[WeDidIt]

5. Too bad, Orrin. The Club For Growth wants Toomey

and Toomey it will be.

I'll even put it simply, nobody in the GOP but Pat Toomey can win the primary so long as Toomey runs.

Even Tom Ridge cannot win a Republican Primary in PA if Toomey is running.

[polichick]

6. Well, he's got that right. NOT A CHANCE Toomey will win here...

...I doubt any Republican could win in PA now ~ and we'll be out registering more Dems long before that vote.

[saltpoint]

7. Hatch dissing Toomey is pretty good for us and very bad for them.

A coast-to-coast GOP food fight over the course of the next 2 years would be a fine thing to behold.

[Thrill]

8. They are going to run Ridge. Bet that

[Johnyawl]

9. they're in a real bind in PA...

...the republican base wants "more conservative", and they want Toomey who can't win in the general election. If the party leaders force Toomey to withdraw in favor of Ridge, how will their base react? Ridge vs Specter might be a close race, and even 5% of the republican base staying home on election day could make the difference.

They're in a real bind. My heart bleeds for them. :sarcasm: