Former Rep. Pat Toomey (R-PA), whose conservative primary challenge against Sen. Arlen Specter scared him into switching to the Democrats, has put out this a release welcoming Rep. Joe Sestak into the race as a Democratic primary challenger against Specter. Toomey contrasts the “principled liberal” Sestak against the “distortions and mudslinging” of Specter:
Toomey Welcomes Sestak Run
Looks Forward to Honest Campaign on the Issues
ALLENTOWN, PA – With news emerging that Rep. Joe Sestak is telling supporters he is going to run for the U.S. Senate, Pat Toomey welcomed Rep. Sestak to the race.
“While Joe Sestak and I disagree on a host of issues,” Mr. Toomey said, “I commend him for being a principled liberal who stands up for his beliefs and values. I have always believed that Pennsylvania voters–not party bosses in Washington–should have the final say over whom their nominees will be.”
“There would be no lack of substantive policy differences in a general election race between Pat Toomey and Joe Sestak, but Pennsylvanians would get the kind of refreshing campaign they deserve–honest and straightforward, without the distortions and mudslinging that characterize Arlen Specter’s tired old approach to politics,” added Toomey Communications Director Nachama Soloveichik. “If you want to see what kind of campaign Senator Specter will run, just look at the first ad he ran this year–an ad he was forced to remove from the airwaves because it contained blatantly false attacks on Pat Toomey. Pennsylvania Democrats are just as likely to reject Arlen Specter’s politics of expediency as Pennsylvania Republicans did.”
