Union urges Democrats to switch parties for Specter in GOP primary

[Freddie Stubbs]

By LARA JAKES JORDAN
The Associated Press
3/24/2004, 1:40 p.m. ET


WASHINGTON (AP) — An international labor union is urging its Democratic members in Pennsylvania to switch their voter registration to Republican to vote for Sen. Arlen Specter in his primary fight against conservative Rep. Pat Toomey.

The registration push comes as national groups scramble to sign up voters for November's presidential race in Pennsylvania, a battleground state that is the nation's fifth-largest electoral prize.

Specter, a political moderate who generally supports labor issues, is the only sitting senator in the nation facing a primary. He "needs as much support in the April 27 primary as possible," Robert A. Scardelletti, president of the Transportation Communications International Union, wrote in a March 15 letter to Pennsylvania members.

"Enclosed is a voter registration card that you can use to register to vote in the Republican primary if you so choose," Scardelletti wrote in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. "I realize that this is a somewhat unusual request, but I can assure you that it is vitally important."

more: http://www.pennlive.com/newsflash/pa/index.ssf?/base/politics-0/1080154150284670.xml

Looks like some people are getting nervous about Specter.

[w4rma]

1. Who is the Democratic nominee for that Senate seat? (nt)

[mobuto]

2. Congressman Joe Hoeffel

The Transportation Communications International Union can go to hell. Vote for Pat Toomey. Hoeffel's a good guy and he could beat Toomey pretty easily. Specter would be much tougher.

[Freddie Stubbs]

4. Apperently they would not like to take the chance of

having two Rick Santorums.

[devinsgram]

6. Specter is pretty well seated in PA.

From what I've been told Tom DeLay is pumping money into Toomey's campaign. I'm afraid if Toomey has any chance of winning we will all be in trouble here. I don't know much about Hoeffel, could you inform me? This has me deeply concerned.

[Freddie Stubbs]

8. Hoeffel is a moderate Democrat

He is generally for free trade but voted agianst Permanant Normal Trade Realtions with China (wanted to maintain leverage). He wants to repeal the Bush tax cut. He voted for the Iraq War Resolution.

He doesn't have much of a shot against Specter, but would probably be slightly favored against Toomey.

[devinsgram]

21. Thanks

I have never heard of him, but would be proud to work toward electing him. Santorum and Toomey would just be to much for me to take.

[Freddie Stubbs]

3. Congressman Joe Hoeffel

[PROGRESSIVE1]

5. I want Looney Toomey vs. Joe Hoefell!

Hoefell will clean the floor with Toomey (Bigot)!

[Freddie Stubbs]

10. You would think that, but

Who would have though that Santorum would have beaten Wofford in 1994? I would definitley give the advantage to Hoeffel, but I know that PA voters are conservative enough that it would be a competative race.

[PROGRESSIVE1]

18. Wrong! 1994 was the year of the Rethug takeover! This is 2004....

and people want a change. Toomey is much to conservative for
Pennsylvania.

[Freddie Stubbs]

19. Santorum was reelected in 2000 by a wider margin than in 1994

He only won by 3% in 1994 but won by 6% in 2000.

[Tempest]

7. Only 44% of voters want to see Specter re-elected

www.the-hamster.com/mtype/archives/000471.html

[Freddie Stubbs]

9. Specter is the toughest politician in PA

He makes a habit of visiting all 67 counties every year. Although he is getting up in the years, no one will outwork Specter. He is very good at bringing pork to the state, which earns him the support of local officials (many of them Democrats). Even if he spends every penny in his bank account in the primary he will still out raise Hoeffel by a wide margin. And he will use that money to pound Hoeffel into the ground.

But he does have one weakness.

He is one of the most liberal Republicans in the Senate. And PA's Republican primary voters are quite conservative. If he can survive the primary, he will probably be able to overcome his current low poll numbers.

[Kolesar]

11. There's a car with a Santorum for Senate sticker in the parking lot atwork

The peculiar thing is that this is Ohio and the car has Ohio plates. What the...?

[Wabbajack]

13. Maybe the driver just moved

and never took off the sticker from the 00 election.

[Momof1]

12. We all ready have one asshole in Congress

Pennylvanians are afraid of having 2 of them. Spector is my favorite (repug)politician, because he doesn't tow the party line. If Toomey wins the primary, Hoeffel has a good chance in November. But, if Toomey wins he will out fundraise Hoeffel big time. I think this is why these guys are worried, I know that I AM SCARED. One Santorum is enough.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

14. Wait a minute. Why couldn't the Dem beat the Repub?

If Specter loses the Dem should have a better chance of winning. No?

[Zynx]

15. One would think so.

Others have mentioned that the union might be afraid of having two Rick Santorums.

[Freddie Stubbs]

16. PA is a pretty conservative state

It is conservative to have elected Rick Santorum twice. Many of our Democrats are pro-life NRA members. And the state rarely elected Demcorats to the US Senate. The last time was Harris Wofford in a 1991 special election in which he was the incumbent (he had been appointed by the Governor to fill a vacancy. Before that the last time was 1962.

[devinsgram]

22. Electing Santorum was the biggest mistake PA made.

Of course he is one of *'s right hand men, so maybe Dems will associate him with the bunch of liars sitting in the WH now. All in all it might be a good thing for him to up against Toomey. I really don't think Toomey can beat Specter. But then again, I could be wrong.

[David__77]

17. Specter should become independent.

He should follow Jeffords into this camp. The GOP totally disrespects him. I wouldn't even mind a Specter VP spot if he did this or changed parties.

[Freddie Stubbs]

20. The parties are a lot stronger here in PA than in Vermont

It is not easy to run state-wide in a state this big (geographically and population) without a strong organization.

[David__77]

23. OK, then switch after the primary and run on the ticket of the GOP.

That would be funny to me. Kind of like Zell Miller as a "Democrat."

[Freddie Stubbs]

24. We've already had one party switcher in PA

State Treasurer Barbara Hafer became a Democrat a few months ago. There are rumors that she wants to run against Santorum in 2006.

[TheDonkey]

25. Vote Toomey!!!

he'd be creamed in a GE in PA. Santorum was a fluke, he had the worst opposition... ever.

[Freddie Stubbs]

26. Santorum is a two time fluke

He was elected in 1994 and reeelected in 2000 by an even wider margin. Do you really want another one?