WASHINGTON – Sen. Pat Toomey (R., Pa.) voted against the two-year spending package that passed the Senate early Friday morning, holding to his position as a fiscal hawk and blasting the new spending included while bringing attacks from Democrats -- who said his vote threatened a default on the country's debt and showed that he is unwilling to compromise.
The arguments foreshadowed the battle ahead in Toomey's re-election bid next year, expected to be one of the toughest campaigns in the country.
Toomey joined most Republicans in opposing the bipartisan plan, which passed 64-35 with support from every Senate Democrat and 18 Republicans. Congressional leaders in both parties, and President Obama, hailed the two-year deal as a way to avert the budget showdowns that have so often paralyzed Washington and to raise the government's borrowing limit without the drama – and threat of a default -- that has accompanied similar moves in recent years.
Toomey, who Democrats have made a top target as they seek to take back the Senate, has argued that the threat of a default is overblown, and that the government's bills could be paid more responsibly by curbing spending. His vote Friday marked the third time in recent years he has opposed a key budget agreement.
"Unfortunately, this budget deal fails to address our overspending problem – in fact, it makes the problem worse," Toomey said in a news release in advance of the vote. "It also suspends the debt limit and allows Washington to continue piling up more red ink without addressing the gross fiscal mismanagement that causes the need for more borrowing in the first place."
The bill boosts spending by about $80 billion over two years – pleasing Democrats who want more for domestic programs and some Republicans who want more for defense. Critics said much of the bill's purported savings come from gimmicks.
Toomey seemed ready for confrontation – he delivered a recent floor speech on the issue and releasing his statement hours before the vote.
Democrats were prepared, too, calling Toomey and obstructionist.
Toomey "would rather see our country face a catastrophic default than agree to a realistic compromise that looks out for the wellbeing of average Americans," said a release from the campaign of Democrat Joe Sestak.
Another Democratic contender, Katie McGinty, said in a release that Toomey "doubled-down on his right-wing, partisan agenda and was willing to let the government shutdown and allow our nation to default on our obligations."
Sestak and McGinty, along with Braddock Mayor John Fetterman, are running for the nomination to oppose Toomey.
Toomey's campaign fired back, saying Sestak, when he was in Congress, "voted to balloon the national debt by trillions" and now wants trillions more. "That's the the last thing we should be doing, and that's why Pat Toomey opposed this terrible budget deal."
The clash reflected themes already figuring prominently in the early campaigning. Toomey has made his name -- and won GOP support -- with his firm views on spending and borrowing. But he has also described himself as a "constructive" Senator willing to compromise when there are deals to be had. Democrats counter that his votes tell a different story. They say he is too far right for Pennsylvania.
Toomey also voted against raising the debt limit in 2013 when he opposed a deal to end a government shutdown, largely because the final package increased borrowing. In September he voted against a bill to keep the government funded because he opposed the money included for Planned Parenthood.
In all, 35 Senate Republicans opposed the bill Friday, despite support from Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.).
Toomey's vote put him on the opposite side of House Republicans from the moderate Philadelphia suburbs. GOP Congressmen from Bucks, Chester and Delaware counties all supported the deal in the House.
Every House and Senate Democrat from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware also backed the plan.
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