If Pat Toomey Loses, Can He Come Back in 2018? (Allentown: home, restaurant)

[Dole-McCain Republican]

If Pat Toomey loses his re-election bid to Katie McGinty (as the polls indicate), do you think that he can mount a comeback in 2018?

My guess is that he can indeed mount a comeback in 2018. Granted I'm biased (as you can tell by my username), but I have read and heard opinions that Toomey has actually run a better race than McGinty. Unfortunately, it looks like Trump (whom I despise) will drag him down to defeat. Should Toomey lose, I think that (given the race he has run) it can easily be chalked up to the Trump effect. In 2018, I suspect that HRC will be very unpopular, and that would make Bob Casey, Jr. quite vulnerable.

Just to let everybody know, I am not a PA resident, and I don't follow PA politics very closely. However, I am aware of the fact that Casey, Jr. lacks the massive popularity that his late father had. In 2012, in fact, he lost by nine points against a little known Republican. (I believe that he was favored to win by a much bigger margin.) I know that he trounced Rick Santorum in 2006, but I don't think that his large margin of victory that year was solely due to his last name (given that Santorum was very unpopular and that 2006 was a very good year for the Democrats).

Should Toomey lose on Nov. 8, I suspect that he will challenge Casey, Jr. in 2018 (and I honestly think that he would prevail in such a matchup). However, he could also run for governor against Tom Wolf. In a Wolf vs. Toomey matchup, I honestly don't know who would win. Truth be told, I know very little about Governor Wolf and his popularity. (Thus, I am curious as to how vulnerable you folks think Wolf is in 2018.)

[SteelCityRising]

Toomey's demise will be his own doing. He had every opportunity months ago to distance himself from Trump but has instead chosen to remain clandestine about whether or not he supports that loud-mouth xenophobic misogynist while many of his GOP colleagues have spoken out LOUDLY against him. Pat Toomey can cry all the crocodile tears in the world that he wants if he loses, but it's his own fault. Sometimes you need to recognize when "toting the party line" is NOT in your best interest.

[Dequindre]

Eh, if Toomey loses (which I hope he doesn't), we Republicans should try and find a better candidate. It's unfortunate that Pennsylvania hasn't churned out any "superstar" politicians in years. All we get are unpopular or semi-unpopular establishment hacks.

[Wells5]

Toomey is a carpetbagger from Rhode Island. He was a big time Wall Street player before deciding to open a restaurant in Allentown. Then sensing that the yokels in PA needed a real Buckleyite conservative politician, he ran for Congress where he served for 6 years and then ran for Senate.

After losing the Republican Party Senate nomination in 2004 against Arlen Specter, Toomey became president of the "cabal for hyperkapitalism," a/k/a "The Club for Growth." This is an organization which espouses "laissez faire" capitalism and is a darling of the US Chamber of Commerce and various fat cat financiers and sun belt pooh bahs. In 2010, he ran again for Senate against Arlen Specter who had switched parties. If Joe Sestak had been the nominee of the democrats, Toomey would have lost.

Now he's up against Katie McGinty, a flawed establishment hack. That's really the only reason why Toomey has a chance of winning. If Joe Sestak were the democrat's nominee, Toomey would lose big time. And no, he's finished in PA politics.

[jtab4994]

Originally Posted by Wells5

In 2010, he ran again for Senate against Arlen Specter who had switched parties. If Joe Sestak had been the nominee of the democrats, Toomey would have lost.

Joe Sestak was the Democrat candidate against Toomey in 2010, and obviously Toomey won.


Specter lost the primary to Sestak after a secret audio tape was leaked, in which he bragged about only switching parties because he thought he'd have an easier time in the primary. The progressive Sestak also overcame heavy national Democrat leadership backing of Specter.

[Wells5]

OOPS! I liked Joe Sestak. I must have had a "brain f*rt."

[Dequindre]

I can't believe the people of Pennsylvania kept Specter in office that long. Everyone I talk to, both Conservative and Liberal, hated that guy for years. He must have had friends in high places.

[pman]

Originally Posted by Wells5

Toomey is a carpetbagger from Rhode Island. He was a big time Wall Street player before deciding to open a restaurant in Allentown. Then sensing that the yokels in PA needed a real Buckleyite conservative politician, he ran for Congress where he served for 6 years and then ran for Senate.

After losing the Republican Party Senate nomination in 2004 against Arlen Specter, Toomey became president of the "cabal for hyperkapitalism," a/k/a "The Club for Growth." This is an organization which espouses "laissez faire" capitalism and is a darling of the US Chamber of Commerce and various fat cat financiers and sun belt pooh bahs. In 2010, he ran again for Senate against Arlen Specter who had switched parties. If Joe Sestak had been the nominee of the democrats, Toomey would have lost.

Now he's up against Katie McGinty, a flawed establishment hack. That's really the only reason why Toomey has a chance of winning. If Joe Sestak were the democrat's nominee, Toomey would lose big time. And no, he's finished in PA politics.

So you believe toomey is bad because he wasn't born in PA and believes in market based solutions. You do realize these are not flaws and that it belies your own hyperpartisan viewpoint right?

[pman]

Originally Posted by Dequindre

I can't believe the people of Pennsylvania kept Specter in office that long. Everyone I talk to, both Conservative and Liberal, hated that guy for years. He must have had friends in high places.

Specter was like Murtha, a pork barrel politician who existed because he was effective at bringing federal money home

[Ohiogirl81]

I hope if he does lose that Toomey disappears into the ether. He's a two-faced hack.

Originally Posted by Dequindre

He must have had friends in high places.

Welcome to Pennsylvania politics.