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Pat Toomey Ratchets Up Attack On Sen. Specter

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May 5, 2009 5:04 pm US/Eastern

Pat Toomey Ratchets Up Attack On Sen. Specter

Reporting
Jon Delano
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― In Pittsburgh to address the Commonwealth Foundation, former Congressman Pat Toomey, a Republican, sharpened his political attack on now Democrat Arlen Specter.

"The question that Pennsylvanians are going to be asking themselves is, can this man be trusted on anything," Toomey told KDKA Political Editor Jon Delano in an exclusive interview. "It's obvious that the only principle that's important to him is his own reelection."

Toomey says Specter's party switch shows his lack of principles. .

"It was clear to him that he couldn't win an election, and since being in office is the only thing that matters to him, he just signed on to another party," he said.

Toomey rejects recent polls showing him losing to Specter.
 
"I think he's very, very vulnerable. I'm very confident that I can win both a Republican primary and a general election. I think he's introduced, really underscored, a huge question about his character."

And besides Specter's flip-flop, issues help the Republican this time, says Toomey.

"Senator Specter has supported all the bailouts, all the Wall Street bailouts, the massive wasteful spending, enormous debt that is absolutely unaffordable."

But Toomey's not sure Specter will survive a Democratic primary against a real Democrat.

"Clearly he's betrayed a party that supported him for 30 years. How confident can Democrats be that he'll support the things that are important to them? Probably not terribly confident," Toomey said. "So I'll be surprised if he doesn't get a competitive primary."

And Toomey himself could face opposition in his own party -- especially if former Governor Tom Ridge enters the race.

Delano: "And you can beat Tom Ridge in a Republican primary?"

"I can win a Republican primary. I'm confident against any field of candidates that may end up emerging."

Toomey says Ridge would make the Republican primary competitive, but he would prevail because of the grassroots support he's building.

Since he announced and Specter switched parties, Toomey says he's picked up 4,000 contributors and raised over $500,000.

More:  Watch Jon Delano's Uncut Interview With Pat Toomey

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