Back in 2004, when Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter was running for re-election, he faced a stiff primary challenge from Pat Toomey. To his rescue came President Bush and his home-state Senate colleague Rick Santorum and managed to eke out a win which, in turn, made right-wing Republicans ... with Santorum:
Mr. Santorum campaigned on behalf of his colleague, despite pleas from notable conservative groups. And fueling their anger is the considerable help that the White House and the national Republican leadership gave Mr. Specter, even though during his 24 years in the Senate he often voted with Democrats against Republican-sponsored legislation backed by Republican presidents, including President Bush.
Even in Mr. Santorum's home state, anger abounds over what some fellow conservatives regard as his apostasy.
"Santorum and his staff are really going to have to work hard to heal the wounds they caused," said Bob Sevcik, a member of the state party central committee and self-described Reaganite.
Two years later, Santorum lost his own re-election bid and has since re-made himself into a tireless critic of the insufficiently conservative members of the Republican party, something that has now come into full view in his latest column, where he tells Sen. Specter, whom is facing yet another primary challenge from Toomey and is currently trailing badly in the polls, that his goose is cooked and that Santorum can't wait to watch as he goes down:
Pennsylvania's political Houdini has escaped similar predicaments in the past by burnishing his conservative credentials in the run-up to the primary - hence the announcement on card check this week. So, too, his potentially crucial vote against Solicitor General Ellen Kagan, which conservatives are touting as a death knell for her chances of being named to the Supreme Court.
...
The argument that Specter has the best chances in a general election will become more persuasive next year, when the GOP faithful face the harsh reality that they are more than a million registered voters behind the Democrats. However, thanks to the prospect of facing Specter, whoever wins the primary will not face an A-list Democratic opponent.
In 2004, President Bush and a Senate colleague from Western Pennsylvania made the difference for Specter. Those dogs don't hunt anymore. This year, his help may come from Peg Luksic, Larry Murphy, and anyone else who helps split up the vote next spring - anyone other than Pat Toomey, that is.
It will be fun to watch. And watch I will.
