Editorial: Specter deserves support / Those opposing incumbent are asking for trouble
Sunday, April 11, 2004
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The one contest in the April 27 Republican Party primary election in which the results will receive national attention is that between incumbent Sen. Arlen Specter and challenger Rep. Patrick J. Toomey.
The national importance of the race is one reason for Pennsylvania Republicans to turn out to vote. The second is its meaning in the line of tradition in Republican Party representation in Pennsylvania, dating back many years.
Just as the commonwealth has showed both alternation and balance in the Republican and Democratic occupants of the governorship over the years, so, too, has the Republican Party itself demonstrated broad roots in its congressional representation. Pennsylvania elected Sen. John Heinz; it also elected Hugh Scott and Richard Schweiker. It is currently represented by Sen. Rick Santorum, a conservative, and Sen. Specter, an experienced centrist.
On the national level, Republican leaders show considerable concern that Rep. Toomey and those supporting him have put what will be a critical Republican Senate seat at risk by attacking Sen. Specter. But the Republicans who support Mr. Toomey have big ideas about how many seats they will gain in the Senate in 2004, arguing that one more seat -- Sen. Specter's -- might not be that important in the January 2005 lineup in preserving Republican control of the Senate.
To sacrifice Sen. Specter's formidable experience in a wide range of fields -- law and order, health care, education, national security affairs -- and the tremendous ability to provide constituent services based on his years of Washington experience in the name of what Rep. Toomey's supporters consider to be Mr. Specter's less than total, pure conservativism seems to us to be shortsighted political tactics.
The possibility of Rep. Toomey's knocking Sen. Specter out of the two-party race for the Pennsylvania seat has Democrats rubbing their hands with glee.
Tactics aside, Sen. Specter has served Pennsylvania with distinction now for 23 years. If he is re-elected it is likely that he will become chairman of the very influential Committee on the Judiciary.
For this page, the endorsement of Arlen Specter over Pat Toomey as the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate in the April 27 primary is an obvious choice -- the nomination for re-election of an experienced, talented legislator, fully consistent with Pennsylvania's traditions in its choice of representation. To vote for him should also serve to draw Pennsylvania Republicans to the polls for the primary, another positive element. |
