Laffey vs Chafee. "The party of Reagan" by Pat Toomey.

[Keystone Phil]

Here's hoping that Laffey is just as successful as Toomey was.

If he doesn't win but pulls a Toomey (scaring the incumbent almost to death) than I see this as a victory.

[Keystone Phil]

Here's hoping that Laffey is just as successful as Toomey was.

If he doesn't win but pulls a Toomey (scaring the incumbent almost to death) than I see this as a victory.

Each to their own, I guess, but what does that really achieve?  Chafee is not likely to change his political outlook as a result of a damaging primary challenge.  It didn't really affect Specter in the end, unless you meant that it quite literally scared him almost to death.  But that wouldn't be fair.

It seems more like you just want them 'punished' for not toeing the party line.

I don't want someone who will just blindly vote the party line because I would never do that and it's obviously not the right thing to do. I want people that use my party to be punished. I want people who expect to be kissed up to for votes to be punished. Someone being a thorn in his side for a campaign is the least we can have if he's going to be a thorn in our's for six more years.

[Keystone Phil]

You keep telling me to do it with Bob Casey.  I've been saying I want Joe Hoeffel and you call me delusional yet you actually thought Pat Toomey had a good chance at winning the Senate seat.  I just thought of something- we realy do mirror each other  when it comes to politics.  You're growling at the Republican party for supporting Specter in 2004 and I'm growling over the Democratic support for Bob Casey in 2006.  You know if Toomey were to have won in 2004, the race leaned Hoeffel.  In that case, why were you so eager to support Toomey?  You also know with Bob Casey I'm selling a lot, if not all my social views for someone who agrees with me more economically than Santorum.  Now I know how you felt in 2004! 

It would have been a tossup. Toomey could have won that race. He was a tough candidate. Hoeffel is a joke.

[Keystone Phil]

Excellent point.  There are a lot of people who voted Specter who loathe Santorum.  Toomey by 11%?  Ehh, NO!  It would have been close and the Lehigh Valley would have been a battleground.

The Lehigh Valley is Toomey country, hack. They'd vote for Specter but not the local guy that they sent to the House three times? Hoeffel would not be strong enough to put up a real fight there.

[Keystone Phil]

ive lost respect for toomey.

Because he is standing up for what his group believes in?

[Keystone Phil]

If it Hoeffel was a joke, then Toomey should win easily right?  But I agree it would have been a tossup and I'd have no idea who would win.  Toomey is more conservative than Hoeffel is liberal, but also the better candidate.

Hoeffel would have received a lot of help from the straight Dem ticket voters but the man is just a bad candidate. If Toomey would have beaten Specter he could have beaten Hoeffel.

[Keystone Phil]

i have a high opinion of the club for growth.

but the group should believe in and fight for a republican majority.

a laffey nomination equals a democrat pickup. 

The group does fight for a GOP majority but at the same time they can't just abandon their fundamental beliefs.

[Keystone Phil]

phil, dont you righties understand that chafee would be better for you guys than some rhode island democrat.

Shouldn't you, as a Club for Growth fan, understand that the group has to defend it's principles?

I understand that a Laffey win would mean a tough fight in the general and would take Chafee over the others but you have to understand that some of us like to defend what we hold close to us.

[Keystone Phil]

first of all, i dont think laffey is serious in his challenge.

Then why does this endorsement bother you so much? Maybe they realize the same thing and find no reason to go against their principles in a race they can't win anyway.

[Keystone Phil]

it bothers me because this endorsement is a good example of 'cutting off your nose to spite your face'

No, it's a good example of "We're defending our principles and if you want to be a thorn in our side, we'll be a thorn in yours."

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Part of me wishes that, too, but I am excited for 2010. He'll very likely be a candidate for the Senate again (unless Santorum loses next year and plans a Senate comeback for the same year).