Toomey takes shot at Specter over EFCA (only Republican who has joined the Democratic senators)

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.politickerpa.com/alexroarty/2852/toomey-takes-shot-specter-over-efca

By Alex Roarty, PolitickerPA.com Reporter

Potential 2010 candidate Pat Toomey criticized U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Philadelphia) Tuesday about the long-time lawmaker's stand on the controversial Employee Free Choice Act, saying Specter has joined with Democrats to advance a bill that could cripple already struggling businesses.

"Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter is the only Republican who has joined the Democratic senators voting to advance the legislation," Toomey wrote in an editorial published by The Philadelphia Inquirer. "That isn't the kind of leadership a state with a broad industrial base needs."

Toomey is considering running for either senator or governor in 2010. He narrowly lost to Specter in the 2004 primary.

The Employee Free Choice Act is likely going to be a difficult vote for Specter, who remains popular with unions, but also has to be concerned about angering a conservative base that nearly unseated him four years ago.

Specter has said he supports ending the filibuster on the bill but has not decided whether he supports the bill itself.

The EFCA is expected to a major issue early on for the new Congress.

Alex Roarty is a PolitickerPA.com Reporter and can be reached via email at [e-mail].