WASHINGTON (CNN) - Republican Sen. John Ensign vowed Sunday that his party will make sure newly-minted Democrat Sen. Arlen Specter loses his re-election bid in 2010.
"I know as Republicans that we have some great candidates that we're recruiting out there," Ensign said on Fox News Sunday. "And we want to make sure that Arlen Specter is no longer in the United States Senate after the next election. We're going to work very hard to make sure that happens."
Pat Toomey, the former president of Club for Growth, has already announced his candidacy for the Republican primary in Pennsylvania. Some Republican leaders have also floated the prospect of recruiting other high-profile candidates to take on Specter next year.
Ensign called Specter's decision to defect from the GOP a "good wake-up call" and encouraged his party to recruit "kind of candidates who can win," even if they have some philosophical differences.
"I'm a conservative, but some people have wanted to have just all conservatives in the party," Ensign said. "But if you're going to be a national party and you're going to be in the majority in Washington, D.C., or in most states, you're going to have to welcome people who maybe vote differently, who look at issues differently."
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The Republican Party will go the way of the Whigs precisely because their leadership demands lockstep adherence to a rigid philosophy. There is no room for those who don't follow blindly.
Mr. Specter may or may not win in Pennsylvania, but the Republicans will be nothing more than a sad chapter in a history book within a decade.
I'm a stauch democrate and I live in Texas, a red state due their red necks. Where do I sign up to contribute to Senator Specter's campaign and how can I help to keep him in the senate?
Will Ensign promise to resign if Specter wins? Please?!?!
I don't understand why the GOP is so dumb. They talk about finding "candidates who can win." How about coming up with policies that win? Policies that benefit more than just the wealthy?
It's not your candidates that are the losers, it's your party and what it has come to stand for.
That’s a nice way to talk about a guy with almost 3 decades of service to his country while winning his battle with brain cancer, just because he changed the letter on his team sweater. This idiot (Sen. Ensign) reminds me of the tough guy who feels dissed on the playground so now he wants revenge. This is a lawmaker? This is a grown adult? Does he think this is a game? No wonder there's no bi-partisanship in Congress. It’s almost an embarrassment to think people actually elect morons like this into office.
Each Day The Repubs Show Us Just What Type Of People They Are....SAD!!!
Republicans are so tough! "Bring it on!", "Take him down!" all words from a bunch of chicken hawks.
Get over it repukes. You wont win another election for 20 more years. You are better off renaming yourself and think of a new message. This lower taxes trickle down crap youve been spewing now for 30 years didnt work. The electorate has moved on to something new and better.
"Did it ever occur to any of you people that CNN is trying to get elected Dems and will keep printing garbage about Republicans and only good things about Democrats? The media is controlling the political process. When are you people going to wake up?"
This is all that's left of the GOP. That's why it's dying.
Talk is cheap!
Threats threats threats......
If only they don't control the media.......
If they humble themselves and come forward and repent.....Say they are sorry to what they did to America with their lies and deception!
Karl Rove works underground....Till they get rid of him and think independently......
I will donate to republican who my concious are clean.....
I want a party that is clean from polls and screaming points!
I think we are missing the point here..arlen spector needs to win the democratic primary in pennsylvania..and I can see him losing that..who wants to vote for a tratior??..He has become the benedict arnold of the obama administration..and I bet he drives a chrysler..
All the threats and posturing from the right amounts to one thing: a death rattle.
toomey's not going to win pa. specter's seat is going democrat in 2010, whether or not that democrat is specter. pa may be a moderate state, but it's moderate blue. toomey's not going to have the wide appeal specter has.
the republicans made a big mistake alienating specter. he was their chance to hold onto that seat.
Sounds to me like they are planning to rig the election if he can guarantee they will take Sen. Arlen Specter out.
Hey Ensign and all of your irrelevant cronies – we in PA will make the decision on Specter's future, not you. Shut your pointless traps and keep your meddling asses out of PA, or we'll hand em back to you when we toss you out on em. America starts here in the home of revolution. 1776-2010 and beyond.