Michael Steele, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, issued the following statement about the Pennsylvania Senate race.
(read the full statement after the jump)
“Arlen Specter’s defeat tonight is yet another blow to President Obama and his vaunted political operation. Like fellow Democrats before him, Arlen Specter’s loss should strike fear in the hearts of Congressional Democrats who choose to embrace the President’s reckless liberal agenda despite the clear objections of their constituents because they thought the White House could bail them out.“Now as he attempts to introduce himself to general election voters, Joe Sestak will have to bear the tremendous weight of having supported President Obama’s failed $862 billion stimulus and a massive government takeover of health care. Time after time, Joe Sestak has been a reliable vote for his Democrat bosses in Congress while his constituents at home are left without a voice.
“Pennsylvanians are seeking a candidate who will work on their behalf to restore fiscal discipline and create jobs. Republican nominee Pat Toomey has spent much of the past year speaking directly to Pennsylvanians about the core economic issues near and dear to their hearts. When voters head to the polls this November, they will have a clear choice between someone who abetted the reckless spending in Washington and a candidate willing to stand up against it.”
The first two paragraphs are partisan; the last paragraph, though, seems to capture the mood of this country: we are quite fed up from government pursuing "agendas" than pursuing the need of the people!
...and when voters head to the polls in November they're going to cast their votes for us, the folks who put us in the toilet in the first place–the Gopers."
Do they really think we're that stupid?
seriously steele? you've got to be kidding. he's been a dem for what, 3 weeks? get educated.
Steele is clueless! That's complete and utter BS! The truth is that the GOP is probably in shock tonight.
Steele should worry about the Republican candidate losing in Kentucy.
Michael Steele needs to sit down and shut up. HE CAN'T talk about reckless spending when flying in private jet, having good time IN TUBES in Florida, paying for NUDE Clubs. Michael, YOU COULDN'T win in Maryland where you were given a chance by African Americans! How can you predict? Where are you sending out this statement from? Hot tubes in Florida or Hawaai. Are Social Securty, Medicare and Medicaid government run programs? If yes, why don't you call your friends republicans to shut them down? Social Security is nothing but socialism! What is COMMONWEALTH in case of Virginia? We can't learn from YOU Michael. Feel your pockets and shut up.
Mr Steele: Sen Specter lost because he is a GOPer; most self-respecting Democrats would not vote for a 30+ year Republican that "found" the Democratic party after GOP polls show he could not defeat a GOP primary challenger. While self preservation is a basic human instinct, actions viewed as political self preservation are generally detested.
Michael steele: my vote as a pennsylvania democrat for joe sestak should be viewed as a vote for a democrat by a democrat against arlen specter, a republican. Rest assured, the republican legacy of George Bush will not be forgotten as i vote democrats into office in the general election.
Out With the DINO! We need more true liberals in Washington to heal America from devastating republican policy! Vote no to the party of no in November!
No! micheal It should scare the HELL out of everybody.When you don't do what they want, they get rid of you. and I think your on the list for next in line.It makes no diffrence what party you want to hang with, once elected your a servant of the people all of them no special group or following. I personally don't lkie career politicians they stink to high hell, and think the country owes them something and they can't be replaced.If it was up to me one term and have to wait a full term before running again. and not be in D.C.as a aid or lobbist.
As someone that lives in Pennsylvania: SPECTER IS NOT A DEMOCRAT! For goodness sake! He only switched to try and win re-election. If anything, it is a blow to incumbants. It shows their constituents are tired of the deadlock and filibustering! Get something done!!!!!!!
Ha ha. The GOP has a mutiny on it's hands as the establishment candidate goes down in flames (Kentucky), and they failed big time in the PA-12 special election. Not a good night for the Republican Party.
Sestak is way off, as also are most Republicans. From Ronald Reagan
in 1980 to now, it is always the Republicans in power who expanded
government. Mostly by massively enlarging a 'defense' budget that has
little real reference to real defense needs. Democrat Clinton gave us a
budget surplus when he was President. He was succeeded by
George W. Bush, who gave us economic disaster. Bush pushed the
first big, Wall Street bailout. Obama has rescued the country from
economic disaster by restoring our national and international markets.
We still have employment problems, and other economy problems, but
they can be addressed now. The fact that GM, Ford and even Chrysler
came back shows how effectively the Democrats have started to resolve our employment problems - long way to go, but we're off in
the right direction.
Right, voters rejected Obama's radical agenda by rejecting Arlen Specter and, instead, nominated a more left-leaning progressive.
Hey Steele,
1). The stimulus didn't fail.
2). Millions of people who could not afford health care now can get it. Not to mention the fact that so much corruption and waste in our health care system has been eliminated.
3). If you had half the backbone and half the intelligence the President has you wouldn't be a Republican.
Steele isn't even good at putting spin on this – the result of today's primary shows that the pro-bank empty-headed free marketeers and born again zealots that are today's Republican Party are toast. Rand Paul's win coupled with big wins from the left are the clearest signal yet that the Reagan Reaction is over and the people of America are rising up to seize control of their government from the big-money interests that dominate policy-making today. Rather than a vindication of conservatism, today's elections are all about change and more people voted for change to the left than voted for change to the right.
M. Steele is an idiot. So are the rest of the republicans. I don't see any failure from the stimulus. I live in Minnesota and the whole state is a construction zone. The stimulus is working. People have JOBS!
What's the republican answer to balancing budgets? Borrow and kick the issue to later generations.
Honestly, isn't everyone tired of Steele by this point?
Specter lost because he was not seen to be enough of a Democrat, not because the voters were looking for a quasi Republican.
It is not the Democrats who should be fearful after tonight's primary and election results. The Democrats retained Sen. Murtha's seat even though the Republicans thought they could get it. Rand Paul will be easier to beat by the Democrats because he is tied to the Tea Party and also goes off on tangents of his own. He was the Republican establishment favourite and he lost. Probably Sestak will be able to beat Toomey much more easily than Sen. Specter could. Even though she is the incumbant, Sen. Lincoln has the lead and will proably win the run-off with no problem. The core Republicans really did not come out well at all.
I didn't vote for Sestak to vote for someone other than the incumbent. I voted for him because I think he was the better choice against Toomey to keep Pennsylvania blue this fall.
I'll leave the governing to the Sestak and I'll leave the chicken wings and selfish whining about taxes to Toomey.
The dumbocrats are on their way out,in november!
You stupid Steele!
Hello he is only Democrat in name only! He is a republican
Shut up Steele
Mr. Steele is just plain nuts. Sestak, a democrat, won. Specter, a recent republican, lost. This is not a blow to the president. Also, a democrat won the special election for Mr. Murtha's seat, not a republican. For democrats the ideal person to head the RNC is Mr. Steele.