Via WaPo: Ridge May Run for Specter’s Senate Seat
Former Pennsylvania governor Tom Ridge (R) is seriously considering a 2010 bid for the Senate seat held by Republican-turned-Democrat Arlen Specter and will make his decision in the next two weeks, according to several sources familiar with his thinking.
As per the Quinipiac poll I noted yesterday, Ridge is probably the only Republican in the state of Pennsylvania who has a legitimate shot at beating Arlen Specter in the 2010 general election.
However, he would have to face a challenge from former congressman Pat Toomey for the nomination, and given the conservative-ward shift in the PA GOP’s base, beating Toomey is no guarantee. And if Ridge can win that fight, he is hardly a shoe-in to beat Specter.
I wonder, given the evolution of the GOP in the state, if a moderate Republican (which Ridge is, certainly relative to Toomey) can win the nomination after a full blown campaign.
One would think that Ridge would be better positioned to wait and challenge Casey.
If anything, it will be far more interesting if Ridge gets involved.
Update: Correction to fix my apparent lack of reading comprehension skills.
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May 5th, 2009 at 1:11 pm
Steven,
I think the 20 percent margin you’re noting refers to Specter’s lead over Toomey in recent polls, not to any Ridge vs. Toomey polls.
To my knowledge, no polling of the PA Republican Senate race has been done since Specter defected.
May 5th, 2009 at 1:16 pm
Doug,
Thanks for noting that.
Just trying to see which readers are really paying attention!
Yeah, that’s the ticket…
S
May 5th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
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