Cornyn On Specter: "Best Bet" To Keep PA Seat With GOP
Sen. John Cornyn, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, issued his firm support of Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) today in a letter affirming the senator's conservative credentials on issues ranging from keeping "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance to support for a ban on so-called partial birth abortions. Specter is likely to face a primary challenge from Pat Toomey, former president of the Club for Growth.
"As I survey the political landscape of the upcoming 2010 elections, it's clear we need more candidates that fit their states," Cornyn wrote. "While I doubt Arlen could win an election in my home state of Texas, I am certain that I could not get elected in Pennsylvania. I believe that Senator Specter is our best bet to keep this Senate seat in the GOP column. A vote for Arlen Specter is a vote for denying Harry Reid and the Democrats a filibuster-proof Senate."
Cornyn notes that Specter shepherded through the Senate Judiciary Committee the nominations of John Roberts as chief justice of the Supreme Court and Samuel A. Alito as associate justice. He says that they don't agree on every issue but that Specter, who was one of three Republicans to vote for Pres. Obama's stimulus package, is a reliable supporter of GOP initiatives.
"My job as head of the NRSC is to guide the GOP back to a majority in the Senate," he added. "I can't do that without Arlen Specter. With him as our nominee, I can target our campaign resources toward beating Democrats and growing the Senate Republican Conference."
Recent polls have shown Specter, elected to the Senate in 1980, could be vulnerable in a primary battle as well as in a general election race against a still undecided Democratic challenger.
The full Cornyn letter is available after the jump.
(JENNIFER SKALKA)
Senator John Cornyn
Chairman, National Republican Senatorial Committee
March 26, 2009
Dear Friend,
I write today to you and other Pennsylvania GOP leaders on behalf of my friend and colleague, Arlen Specter. His re-election in 2010 is vital if we are to regain our majority in the Senate.
As I survey the political landscape of the upcoming 2010 elections, it's clear we need more candidates that fit their states. While I doubt Arlen could win an election in my home state of Texas, I am certain that I could not get elected in Pennsylvania. I believe that Senator Specter is our best bet to keep this Senate seat in the GOP column. A vote for Arlen Specter is a vote for denying Harry Reid and the Democrats a filibuster-proof Senate.
The political math for Republicans in 2010 is tough. We must defend 19 of our Senate seats -- six of which are in states (such as Pennsylvania) won by President Obama. The Democrats have to defend just 17 of their 59 seats, only two of which are in states Senator McCain won. With just 41 Members in the Senate Republican Conference, it's vital that we focus our limited resources on growing the party and beating Democrats.
The fact that Pennsylvania has become a reliable "blue state" for the Democrats isn't the only reason they're targeting Arlen. For example, they didn't like it when he:
Declared recently he would vote against cloture and oppose the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as 'card check'
Voted against the so-called "Fairness Doctrine" (which would enable government censors to prevent local radio stations from carrying conservative talk radio)
Cast the deciding vote to defeat a bipartisan tax hike in December 2007
Led the GOP's effort to repeal the Democrats' increase of the Alternative Minimum Tax rates
Voted for the Reagan and Bush tax cuts
Sponsored the Flat Tax, the Balanced Budget Amendment and Line-Item Veto
Sponsored the Flag Protection Amendment
Voted to keep "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance
Voted for the Partial Birth Abortion Ban and Defense of Marriage Act
Sponsored the Religious Freedom Restoration Act
Stood up for Israel's right to protect her citizens against terrorist attacks
Protected the individual right to bear arms enshrined in the 2nd Amendment
Sponsored the bill to deport convicted felons who are illegal aliens
Arlen and I do not agree on every issue, but as Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC), I rely on Senator Specter for advice and counsel on key issues. As a fellow member of the Judiciary Committee, I've seen Arlen's strong leadership first-hand. His work shepherding through the confirmations of Chief Justice Roberts and Associate Justice Alito was unparalleled.
My job as head of the NRSC is to guide the GOP back to a majority in the Senate. I can't do that without Arlen Specter. With him as our nominee, I can target our campaign resources toward beating Democrats and growing the Senate Republican Conference. Please join me in that effort.
Thank you.
Sincerely Yours,
Senator John Cornyn
Pat Toomey won three times in a Democratic-leaning district, including twice when a D presidential nominee carried his state AND his district. So he knows how to win.
And a reliable conservative winning statewide isn't mere theory or a long-shot exotic - Santorum did it twice in a row.
Santorum failed to three-peat, not because he was too conservative, but because he neglected constituent care, came across as not warm enough, and had angered the base with his intense stumping together with Bush for Specter in the final weekend of the 04 primary that put Specter over the top.
For which Specter showed his gratitude by within days arrogantly and publicly ordering Bush to only nominate "pro choice" types to the Supreme Court or he wouldn't let them out of committee.
PA is a pro-life state; even PA Dems are pro-life. Specter is the one who is out of step.
Sen. Cornyn,
This is the Republican version of "don't waste a perfectly good crisis" by scaring the voters into accepting a marginal RINO. This is how we ended up with McCain and why we lost the confidence of the public.
Also, the performance of the NRSC in the Min. election gave us Senator Franken. You should have learned something from that disaster but apparently you haven't.
Senator Specter can go. He, Snowe and Collins could have kept the stimulus from passing. Instead, he, along with the others, made common cause with the Democrats to put this country even more deeply into debt.
Senator Specter needs to find another job.
If a Republican senator is going to vote with Democrats, then why even have a Republican senator?
Senator Cornyn, you are obviously oblivious to the general anger a lot of conservatives have toward this kind of thing.
Senator ..... Specter is a big NO and so is Crist of Florida! You sir are part of the problem. We don't need more liberals in DC.
Sen. Cornyn,
It is not, as you say, your job to "guide the GOP back to a majority in the Senate," your job is to pick candidates who best represent the Republican party.
If you keep feeding the voters RINO's like the traitor Arlen Specter, you will not have to worry if you can hold seats, you will be assured of losing them.
If you can, with good conscience, back a Republican candidate who knows he has lost any support from what should be his own party that he is pleading to registered Democrats to change their party registration for at least the election period so they can vote for him, then you, sir, should find another line of work.
If you are willing to sell out what should be your beliefs and values to keep a man who only incidentally has an 'R' after his name in place, I must wonder what else you are willing to sell out.
Specter isn't a conservative by ANY measure and has voted with the Democrats far more than he has voted against them. His vote on the horror that is the "stimulus bill" is the only reason it passed, is this the example you want to put forward as representative of the Republican party?
If the conservatives in his own state can't stand the man, why do you feel the need to try to force him on us?
Expel Specter from the Republican party and find ANYONE to take his place. The Republican party cannot continue to offer up 'Democrat-lite' candidates and expect to find any support from the voters. The Republican party cannot continue to offer candidates that can't be discerned from the opposition and expect to have any chance at winning elections.
Democrats will vote for Democrats, but if you offer a 'Democrat-lite' as a Republican candidate, neither the Democrats nor the Republicans will vote for him. Gone are the days when the conservative base of the Republican party will accept 'the lesser of two evils,' we want a conservative candidate who actually understands and represents us. That is NOT the traitor Arlen Specter.
Senator Cornyn:
It is my hope that like many of us you can change the paradigm by which you work. We are, perhaps, at a defining moment in our country where apathy is being replaced by activism.
If you will work with us, we can use the conservative principles for which we desire to be defined and elect people to Congress who hold those principles.
It is no longer about keeping people in their jobs and playing the game. Our goal is that our elected officials do their jobs. The stay in office at any expense mentality has cost us much in this country and I hope that you will rise above it.
Congress, both houses, is not intended to be a career choice. We want you to go and do the job we sent you for and then return home.
As a Texan, I would like to see you become the leader that you are able to be.
Sandy Pennington
Grand Prairie, Texas