Is Toomey Worried?

Former Rep. Pat Toomey | ToomeyforSenate.com

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At least one person is worried about Rep. Joe Sestak’s recent surge in the polls in the Pennsylvania Senate race: his GOP opponent, former congressman (and derivatives trader) Pat Toomey. That’s what Toomey’s telling his most fervent supporters at least. In a message to a conservative email list, the Toomey campaign warns that “The Liberals are Coming!” and says Toomey needs help right away. Here’s an excerpt [emphasis added]:

Dear Reader,

It’s simple.

The agenda that President Obama and Nancy Pelosi have advanced in Washington has moved our country in the wrong direction and it’s prolonged our economic downturn.

Congressman Joe Sestak has supported this agenda, without exception, 100% of the time.

We’re in a very competitive race for the United States Senate here in Pennsylvania — in fact, Fox News just called our race, “neck and neck.” I’d very much appreciate your help as we close in on the campaign’s final days. Please consider making a contribution of $25, $50, $100 – or even $500, $1,000 or $2,400 – right now.

 

The rest of the message is along the same lines, bashing Obama and liberals. The email list this was sent to is more conservative than Pennsylvania, and the text is more right-wing than most of what Toomey, who’s tried to paint himself as a moderate, has been sending this election season. Toomey has to tread carefully though—although Obama’s not nearly as popular as he once was, Pennsylvania is still a state with a strong Democratic majority. He probably needs to win some Democrats (and Democratic-leaning independents) to win. If Sestak can prevent that by demonstrating that Toomey is a radical, he could still pull off the upset. If he can do that after coming from behind in the primary against Specter, he’ll be a two-time comeback kid.

 

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