U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, a Maine Republican, is right now raising campaign cash at the Union League for former U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey, a sure sign that the conservative knows he needs moderate voters to beat U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, his Democratic opponent in the Nov. 2 race for the U.S. Senate.
We're pretty sure Toomey will introduce Collins as "senator" and not as "comrade" at today's event. The ultra-conservative Club For Growth dubbed Collins "comrade of the month" in February 2009 for her vote in favor of President Obama's stimulus package. Toomey was president of the Club For Growth at the time.
Sestak tried to capitalize on all that by calling a news conference an hour before the Collins fund-raiser, where four Republicans from Delaware County who supported his run for Congress four years ago sung his praises.
Ron Sulek said Sestak was immediately responsive when he needed support for an art center in Delaware County. Sulek called himself a moderate and said he liked how Sestak listened to his needs. Frank Gastner, a retired manufacturer representative, echoed that, saying Sestak "had a trait that was very important to me: He listened." By comparison, Gastner said, Toomey's economic policies would encourage manufacturers to move oversees, taking important jobs with them.
We're hoping to catch up with Toomey and Collins shortly and will update this post with what they have to say.
UPDATE, 2:25 pm: Collins clearly isn't holding grudges about that "comrade" crack from the Club For Growth. She focused her comments after the fund-raiser on issues that unite, not divide Republicans. "This is a pivotal race," Collins said. "It is one of those key Senate races that is going to determine whether the Republicans are going to be able to regain control of the Senate or at least increase our numbers so that we can be an effective check on the excesses of this administration."
Toomey, also to put the past behind them, offered this: "As Republicans, there’s lots of individual items that we’re going to disagree about but there’s a broad theme on which we agree. And that’s the importance of preserving individual freedoms, individual responsibility, a free enterprise system and limited government."
I sincerely hope the PA voters will not be fooled and look at Toomey's past record. He is about as "moderate" as Sara Palin. They both think the same way.— matty177- Fooled like many Moderates were with the messiah and his past record you mean?— mijou6
- LOL---'matty177'---And Sestak is moderate?---You idiot---And try spelling the names you cite correctly---It is bad form to be stupid— will_wonders_never_cease
- Wow, using adjectives like "idiot" and "stupid"? Were you talking about people who voted for George Bush? LOL— RealBigFan
- Real big: Very well said. LOL. "Will wonders" is obviously drinking that right wing kool aid.— matty177
- LOL---Really RealBigFan?---Is that the best you can do?---I do not support Bush, nor did I mention support for Republicans---I am being honest, something I hope you can appreciate---Unless of course, you REALLY think Sestak is moderate and Toomey isn't---The fact is, neither is a moderate---This election will truly define whether PA is to the right of center, or to the left---— will_wonders_never_cease
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- Ah, HST...I wonder Snidely if they know who you reference?...I stopped by his ranch a couple years ago when I was near Durango....— will_wonders_never_cease
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- I really wish Collins would stay away from Toomey. We need to keep these conservatives out of making a bigger mess than they have already created. 8 years of their ridiculous antics have brought this country to the point of collapse that we are still trying to dig ourselves out of. Moderates are the only ones who can get us out of this mess as the fringes on both sides are too radical to ever gain common ground.— Rod72
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I can't imagine Toomey having much luck luring in moderates - he's as right-wing as they come - and has way too many stupid votes as evidence.- Of course Snidely...In 2004 I drove across the country and stopped in Woody Creek to see if he was home...My bad, he wasn't, but I got to see his place...Best political writer and observer in my life time...— will_wonders_never_cease
- Rod72: It was certainly not conservatives that created this mess. Some Republicans maybe, but not conservatives. That is what you liberals fail to understand. George Bush was not a fiscal conservative. He cut income taxes for EVERYONE including moving 10 million low income wage earners completely off the income tax roll, but he was a big government liberal who grew the size of the federal government. Like mentioned above it is about time, moderates of both parties get the hell out of the way and let real fiscal conservatives save this country before we turn into Greece, the heaven of the liberal left.— Grill
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David Gambacorta spent a small eternity writing about cops, drug dealers and serial killers. Now he’s writing about power and politics – which sometimes reminds him of the old crime beat. He joined the Daily News in 2005. And yes, he knows you’re not quite sure how to pronounce his last name. E-mail tips to gambacd@phillynews.com
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