Conservative and pro-life Peg Luksik has declared her candidacy for Senate, challenging Arlen Specter for the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate next year, according to the AP.
Now what’s interesting here is how this may or may not alter Pat Toomey’s potential candidacy. Toomey, who narrowly lost a primary challenge to Specter in 2004, has hinted that he may run again for Specter’s seat. Many pro-lifers believe Toomey would have an excellent chance to beat Specter.
But by announcing first, Luksik, I’d imagine, is hoping to deter Toomey from running.
Look, it’s always nice to have a pro-lifer in a race. But it’s almost always bad to have two. This could end up being a disaster for conservatives as Luksik and Toomey could potentially split the pro-life vote leaving Specter with a far easier run to the nomination. Toomey has many advantages in his access to heavy hitting fundraisers as the President of the Club for Growth and grassroots support from his last run.
But Luksik doesn’t seem to be shying away from the race as she reportedly said Toomey told her in February that he wasn’t running for the Senate, adding that it’s up to Toomey to decide whether he wants to risk dividing the GOP’s conservative wing.
Luksik is a pro-life hero and has been active in the pro-life movement and politics for decades. According to an old campaign website, Luksik is the founder and Chairman of Mom’s House, which is an alternative to abortion project which provides single parents and their children with the combination of child care and support services necessary to allow them to complete their education. Luksik has previously run for Governor and Senate, sometimes as an independent and sometimes as a Republican.
Let’s hope this works out for the best. Pro-choice and pro-stimulus Specter needs to go.
March 11, 2009 at 2:18 am
He’s also pro-card check.
March 11, 2009 at 2:56 am
Being somewhat “on the inside of PA politics,” I can assure you that the “powers that be” are highly annoyed with Arlen and he has a nice big thingy on his back that resembles that big red thingy you see at that lovely red box store sometimes referred to as “Tar-jay.” If I had to gamble, I would put my bet on Toomey at this point based upon the rumor mill and what he has been up to in the past six years. Regardless, I wouldn’t rule out the pro-lifer just yet. Some of us really do cling to our guns and religion – despite the Kool-Ade drinking going on in Philly.
Teleprompter Boy is setting up a nice scenario for the conservative base to be fired up enough to do some serious house cleaning… if you catch my drift.
Right now – anything is possible in the political arena. We’ve got the census wildcard happening – if the WH gets control of it, we’re in for serious problems in 2010.
We’ve had 50 days of Teleprompter Boy and he has done more damage in a short period of time than anyone in US history that I can recall.