Toomey vs. Sestak rematch

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

wait, did party leaders actually think Specter would do better?

There was a time when they bought the whole "He appeals to the center and some Republicans still!" argument but they didn't grasp how unpopular he became with the switch and the general mood against incumbents.

Also, there's the principle of not rewarding someone who publicly challenged them.

[Keystone Phil]

I like Vincent Hughes, going by his tone in that interview article. Populist and unapologetic, along with decently liberal seems to be a good combo. Either him or Sestak would be fine.

Yes, one of the two would absolutely be fine if you want to guarantee six more years of the same Senator.

[IceSpear]

wait, did party leaders actually think Specter would do better?

The entire Dem establishment (both nationally and in PA) agreed to support Specter in exchange for his party switch. Whether or not they were/are actually delusional enough to believe Specter would've been a stronger candidate than Sestak is an open question. But regardless of their opinion on that matter, it's pretty clear that what's motivating them at this point is animosity towards Sestak for going against them.

[IceSpear]

wait, did party leaders actually think Specter would do better?

There was a time when they bought the whole "He appeals to the center and some Republicans still!" argument but they didn't grasp how unpopular he became with the switch and the general mood against incumbents.

IIRC Specter's approval ratings in early 2010 were pretty awful, and he tended to do worse than Sestak in polls despite having much higher name recognition. I'm not sure whether they actually bought that line of thinking or if they were just saying it to protect their guy.

[Keystone Phil]

wait, did party leaders actually think Specter would do better?

There was a time when they bought the whole "He appeals to the center and some Republicans still!" argument but they didn't grasp how unpopular he became with the switch and the general mood against incumbents.

IIRC Specter's approval ratings in early 2010 were pretty awful, and he tended to do worse than Sestak in polls despite having much higher name recognition. I'm not sure whether they actually bought that line of thinking or if they were just saying it to protect their guy.

I think it was both. I believe I remember the Dem establishment pointing out how Sestak would be easily painted as too far left in a General while Specter would be able to own the center and attack the GOP for extremism. But that just wasn't going to work. The damage was done with Specter. Toomey would have won far more easily.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Sestak has been out of politics for a while and this is such a key race in Pa, along with WI, IL, CO, NV and OH. But, Sestak is a fighter like Reid, who is also 10 pts behind Sandoval.

[The Other Castro]

Sestak steps on children:

http://freebeacon.com/politics/democrat-candidate-mows-down-small-innocent-children-at-july-4th-parade/

"The small, innocent children Sestak trampled over could not be reached for comment"

[tmthforu94]

Game over. R+1

[Ebsy]

lmao

[Free Bird]

Game over. R+1

R Hold technically

[hurricanehink]

http://www.post-gazette.com/news/state/2015/06/30/Toomey-launches-first-ad-in-re-election-campaign/stories/201506300184

It's a few days old, but Toomey is already airing commercials on TV. I saw one the other day. My parents thought the election was this November, not 16 months from now! Is it usual for incumbents to air commercials this early?

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

This is certainly impressive by Toomey and Portman.

And Kirk is raising lots of money as well. Senate is still a tossup and until the Dem primaries are over in OH and Pa, GOP will have a cash advantage.

If anybody that can raise lots of cash is Strickland.

[Maxwell]

This is certainly impressive by Toomey and Portman.

And Kirk is raising lots of money as well. Senate is still a tossup and until the Dem primaries are over in OH and Pa, GOP will have a cash advantage.

If anybody that can raise lots of cash is Strickland.

But Strickland isn't getting it done.

[Chancellor Tanterterg]

This is certainly impressive by Toomey and Portman.

And Kirk is raising lots of money as well. Senate is still a tossup and until the Dem primaries are over in OH and Pa, GOP will have a cash advantage.

If anybody that can raise lots of cash is Strickland.

Err...no, Strickland was never going to raise nearly as much as Portman.  Portman is a fundraising machine which is one of the reasons Strickland's universal name ID is so important.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

This is certainly impressive by Toomey and Portman.

And Kirk is raising lots of money as well. Senate is still a tossup and until the Dem primaries are over in OH and Pa, GOP will have a cash advantage.

If anybody that can raise lots of cash is Strickland.

But Strickland isn't getting it done.

The QU poll shows the race competetive and PPP shows it too.

The only polls that have showed it not competetive are R internals like the bad polling in NV

[RogueBeaver]

McGinty is primarying Sestak. She will resign as Wolf's COS tomorrow.

[The Other Castro]

McGinty is primarying Sestak. She will resign as Wolf's COS tomorrow.

A New Hope.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Sigh, what a relief.

[Brewer]

Speaking as an outsider to Pennsylvania politics, why would McGinty be a better candidate when she finished fourth in the Dem gubernatorial primary?

[Maxwell]

McGinty is primarying Sestak. She will resign as Wolf's COS tomorrow.

Excellent News! Sestak is the best candidate for this race and they're continually undermining him, even as Toomey raises record bucks. It's like they're throwing away the seat.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Speaking as an outsider to Pennsylvania politics, why would McGinty be a better candidate when she finished fourth in the Dem gubernatorial primary?

It's the age old "reliable but boring vs maverick uncontrollable oddball" dilemma. Neither scenario is perfect (for the former, see Current ALP leader Bill Shorten; the latter, former NZ Lab leader David Cunliffe.

Sestak could catch on fire and steamroll his way to victory, but he is just as likely to flame out and be crushed under a Toomeyslide.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

She was an advisor to Gov Rendell.  She was an advisor to Gov Wolf and she is a female.  The establishment wanted Shapiro, but the option to a boring Sestak.

[Maxwell]

boring Sestak? I've heard many criticisms of Sestak, boring is not one of them. The fact is Sestak got close in a year he absolutely shouldn't have, that alone says something about his strength as a candidate. And I think his strength also lies in the fact that he's not a part of the Democrat machine in Pennsylvania. It's clear the bright minds in charge of the party in 2006-2008 have either left or handed the reigns to pure incompetents.

[Vega]

McGinty would be just as a bad a candidate as Sestak is. Shame that Shapiro couldn't run.

[Attorney General, LGC Speaker, and Former PPT Dwarven Dragon]

McGinty would be just as a bad a candidate as Sestak is. Shame that Shapiro couldn't run.

What makes Shapiro a better candidate than Sestak, besides Sestak's 2010 loss and old Specter-related grudges?