May 24, 2009
Posted: May 24th, 2009 09:00 AM ET

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Toomey, a former congressman, is running for Senate in Pennsylvania.
Toomey, a former congressman, is running for Senate in Pennsylvania.

(CNN) - He ruled out a bid earlier this month to challenge Pat Toomey for the GOP Senate nomination in Pennsylvania, but Tom Ridge isn't ready to back the conservative former congressman or any other candidate yet.

"I'm going to wait to see if people I know, whom I might support decide to make the difficult decision to run," said the former Pennsylvania governor on CNN's State of The Union.

Ridge also didn't rule out a 2010 vote for Arlen Specter, the longtime Pennsylvania Republican senator who defected to the Democratic Party earlier this month

"Tom Ridge has a secret ballot and that Tom Ridge will discuss it after the election," he said when asked about a potential Specter vote.

"I'm a strong, strong Republican but I'd be - I've never, ever, ever voted straight Republican ticket in my life and I never will," Ridge continued. "My mother was a Republican woman. My dad was a lifelong Democrat who switched once in a primary to vote for me. But at the end of the day, I think it's - when you close the curtain behind you, it makes America very unique. It's a secret ballot. "

The former Homeland Security Secretary, widely considered to be on John McCain's shortlist for vice president last year, also did not rule out a presidential bid of his own.

"Tom Ridge is going to do everything he can to make sure that we have a Republican governor in 2010. And in Pennsylvania. And will work within the Republican Party so that we win the presidency in 2012. And we'll just leave it at that," he said that.

Filed under: State of the Union • Tom Ridge


Tom Ridge takes up an anti-Grassroots position | BitsBlog   May 24th, 2009 1:37 pm ET

[...] his home state... despite having his backside kicked among the grassrootsts by Toomey...  he has come out in support of Arlen Specter, after Specter turned away from the GOP... and of course the GOP is supposed to take him [...]

Scott Stodden   May 24th, 2009 10:20 am ET

Im not a fan of Tom Ridge at all, but good luck to him if he does run for the Senate Seat, everybody deserves a chance. and I really hope he does run against Pat Toomey.

Intelligentia   May 24th, 2009 10:20 am ET

ib: These people at CNN know what they are doing. Do you really think they are for Obama? They are trying to find a Republican to challenge him in 2012. So, they are going around trying to rehabilitate these worn-out failures whose policies and ideologies have destroyed and divided America. The idea is to make these people more acceptable to the mainstream by 2012. Once they achieve that, they will create a scandal about Obama around 2012 to deny him a second term. All I am asking is for Colin Powell to be ready. If they try to deny Obama a second term (assuming he deserves it, based on his performance now), Colin should come out and run as an independent. That way, the Republican vote will be split and CNN manipulators and propagandists will fail in their machinations!

Lynn   May 24th, 2009 10:18 am ET

Typical Sunday morning on State of the Union...John King's friendly interview with yet another Republican and a string of blogs trying to make it like each has a idea in his head that relates to the reality of the 21st century.

JHEARD, SURPRISE, AZ   May 24th, 2009 10:12 am ET

I applaud Tom Ridge for all his answers to John King. John King has the right to a secret voting ballot. Why John King thinks Tom Ridge doesn't have the same right. It appears to me that CNN needs a new "Moderator" for State of the Union. A person less subject to wear their "Party" on their face and sleeve and asks questions to guest that reflect that persons ideals, not John King's. King challenged Tom Ridge's party affiliation, asking whether Ridge sided with Powell or Limbaugh. Ridge responded with dignity and conviction. Yeah!

Dawn   May 24th, 2009 10:06 am ET

Pennsylvania has a Dem for 8 years and then a Rep. for 8 years. Remember that, but Ridge what did you do when you got elected to the Governorship, you signed an executive order to put to death who was on death row. The late Gov. Bob Casey was against the death penalty, but did not abolish it, he was against abortion, but he did not abolish it. He made changes in Abortion rights!

ib   May 24th, 2009 10:00 am ET

Why are you covering Ridge so much CNN? Who cares what he thinks? He's just another wanta be republican in liberal clothes.

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