Is Toomey Worried?

Former Rep. Pat Toomey | ToomeyforSenate.com

Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily.


At least one person is worried about Rep. Joe Sestak’s recent surge in the polls in the Pennsylvania Senate race: his GOP opponent, former congressman (and derivatives trader) Pat Toomey. That’s what Toomey’s telling his most fervent supporters at least. In a message to a conservative email list, the Toomey campaign warns that “The Liberals are Coming!” and says Toomey needs help right away. Here’s an excerpt [emphasis added]:

Dear Reader,

It’s simple.

The agenda that President Obama and Nancy Pelosi have advanced in Washington has moved our country in the wrong direction and it’s prolonged our economic downturn.

Congressman Joe Sestak has supported this agenda, without exception, 100% of the time.

We’re in a very competitive race for the United States Senate here in Pennsylvania — in fact, Fox News just called our race, “neck and neck.” I’d very much appreciate your help as we close in on the campaign’s final days. Please consider making a contribution of $25, $50, $100 – or even $500, $1,000 or $2,400 – right now.

 

The rest of the message is along the same lines, bashing Obama and liberals. The email list this was sent to is more conservative than Pennsylvania, and the text is more right-wing than most of what Toomey, who’s tried to paint himself as a moderate, has been sending this election season. Toomey has to tread carefully though—although Obama’s not nearly as popular as he once was, Pennsylvania is still a state with a strong Democratic majority. He probably needs to win some Democrats (and Democratic-leaning independents) to win. If Sestak can prevent that by demonstrating that Toomey is a radical, he could still pull off the upset. If he can do that after coming from behind in the primary against Specter, he’ll be a two-time comeback kid.

 

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

December is make or break for us. A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. A strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength. A weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

The December 31 deadline is closing in fast. To reach our $400,000 goal, we need readers who’ve never given before to join the ranks of MoJo donors. And we need our steadfast supporters to give again today—any amount.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do.

That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

December is make or break for us. A full one-third of our annual fundraising comes in this month alone. A strong December means our newsroom is on the beat and reporting at full strength. A weak one means budget cuts and hard choices ahead.

The December 31 deadline is closing in fast. To reach our $400,000 goal, we need readers who’ve never given before to join the ranks of MoJo donors. And we need our steadfast supporters to give again today—any amount.

Managing an independent, nonprofit newsroom is staggeringly hard. There’s no cushion in our budget—no backup revenue, no corporate safety net. We can’t afford to fall short, and we can’t rely on corporations or deep-pocketed interests to fund the fierce, investigative journalism Mother Jones exists to do.

That’s why we need you right now. Please chip in to help close the gap.

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate