22,000 Swann voters didn't vote for Santorum (PA Primary)

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06138/691235-100.stm

Nearly 22,000 Pennsylvania Republicans who voted for Lynn Swann as the GOP nominee for governor withheld their support from U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum in Tuesday's primary.

Both candidates were unopposed. Mr. Swann, the former Steelers star, received 574,276 votes, while Mr. Santorum, who is seeking a third term in the Senate, drew 552,559, according to unofficial totals compiled by the Pennsylvania Department of State that were 99 percent complete today.

In the Nov. 7 general election, Mr. Swann will face Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell while Santorum is running against state Treasurer Bob Casey.

Less than six months before the election, independent polls show both Republicans lagging by double-digit margins.

But political observers say the disparity in the primary vote is a bad sign for Mr. Santorum. Democratic strategists view Mr. Santorum, the Senate's third-ranking Republican, as vulnerable partly because of his ties to President Bush, whose approval rating is sagging.

GOP results bode poorly for November vote

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06138/691139-178.stm

Incumbents of both parties were targeted by state pay raise opponents in the months leading to Tuesday's primary, but the day's victims were disproportionately Republican.

Champions and casualties of that upheaval agreed that it would have consequences in November in and beyond the legislative races. In particular, several experts suggested, the evidence of disaffection among core Republican voters presents challenges for U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum and gubernatorial nominee Lynn Swann in promoting the big GOP turnout they will need in November.

"One message you have to take away is that rank-and-file Republican voters are very angry with incumbents,'' said Pat Toomey, president of the Club for Growth, an influential conservative lobbying group. "It's a mistake to conclude this was all about the pay raise. This has been brewing for some time and it's about dissatisfaction with elected Republicans who have abandoned a commitment to limited government.''

Blair County Commissioner John Eichelberger, who took the most prominent GOP scalp Tuesday in wresting the Republican nomination from incumbent state Sen. Robert Jubelirer, R-Altoona, said that GOP estrangement with Mr. Jubelirer and other legislative leaders preceded last July's abortive pay raise effort.

[E-Z-B]

1. Bye, bye, Sicky Rantorum.

Is what I'll be saying in 6 months.

[LynneSin]

2. Even better - Casey had 75k more votes than Santorum AND

Casey even had two opponents who garnered an additional 100k votes combined.

[blm]

11. THANKYOU - you answered the question I was about to post.

.

[sofa king]

3. 4% of Republicans can tell difference between "unqualified" and "asshole"

That's encouraging news. I, um, guess.

[sallyseven]

8. The republican people can it is just the

senators and congress people ccan't tell the difference between unqualified and asshole. Repuk congressiomal critters are all lock step.

[Jack from Charlotte]

13. LOL! (nt)

*

[gauguin57]

4. Santorum, Casey ... hell, we have two Republicans running in the fall!

Casey is worthless as a Democrat, IMHO. Pro-war, anti-choice, anti-stem-cell-research ... WTF? Why that man has a "D" after his name, I dunno.

*sigh* ... another year, another bunch of goofballs on the ballot in my beloved Keystone State.

[Freddie Stubbs]

5. Rendell recieved 97,981 less votes than those cast for Senate Candidates

CASEY, BOB JR (DEM) 621,215
SANDALS, ALAN (DEM) 47,982
PENNACCHIO, CHUCK (DEM) 65,828

RENDELL, ED (DEM) 637,044

[trotsky]

6. Swann vs. Santorum is comparing two unopposed candidates.

A three-candidate race is going to naturally attract more votes than someone running unopposed.

[JPZenger]

16. Some people don't bother with unopposed races

The explanation may simply be that some people don't bother with unopposed races. However, many new electronic voting machines do make an effort to remind people to vote in every race.

[livetohike]

7. With any luck, we will be moved back to PA for the Nov. election

so count two more Dems. to nail Santorum's chances :-).

[Acadia Blue]

9. Hope that insane religious corrupt corporatist gets voted out.

[MGKrebs]

10. That's just the football lobby vote.

They must have some contest at the Moose Lodge to get votes for Swann. A free pull on the slot machine or something.

:evilgrin: :beer:

[maxrandb]

12. How the "blank" does Lynn Swann get half a million votes???

He's a fricking has-been football player? And I'm not just saying that because I'm a Brown's fan. That's like using the "I'd like to have a beer with him standard" for electing Pretzeldents. It just proves that half a million people would vote for Stalin if he had an "R" after his name.

America keeps going the way it's going, and before you know it we'll have pro wrestlers governing Minnesota, and a lousy action movie star governing Cali..... Oh, NEVERMIND!

[JVS]

15. You're just saying that because you're a browns fan

:P

[Cosmocat]

19. Pure hatred ...

Unabashed, blind, ignorant hate of anything that is not them ...

I am in a fantasy baseball league with a a bunch of Rs ... Really nice, really good guys ... But, your basic church going repukes ... One of them did come out and say how much of an embarrasment it was that Swann was going to be their candidate, but this one guy goes on about how ANYTHING other than Rendell ...

Rendall ain't jesus christ or anything ... But, the man is smart as heck, totally committed and tireless worker ... A proven Executive Officer ... It took all kinds of mental gymnastics, but this guy was finding reasons left and right why Swann would be a vast improvement ...

[RamboLiberal]

22. I'm a Steeler fan and I agree with you Brown's fan

Stick to football Lynn!

[maxrandb]

25. This Proves that he really "is" a Uniter

If he can make a Browns and Steelers fan get on the same team, that's really saying something.

I like Kevin Mack. He was a heck of a football player, but that doesn't make him qualified to be Governor!!!

I'll raise a beer with you Steeler's fan if the Dems retake the Congress this year.

Getting back to foorball...What do you get when you cross a Steeler with a pig?...Nothing, there's some things even a pig won't do.

[JPZenger]

14. 15 Repub Legislators Defeated vs. only 4 Dems

The press is saying that the defeat of so many powerful long-time Republican members of the PA. House and Senate was because of the illegal pay raise they gave to themselves. However, many more times as many Republicans were defeated as Dems, particularly among those who voted for the pay raise. One prominent Republican who was defeated voted against the pay raise. I believe it shows very deep disastisfaction with the Republican party leadership by rank and file republicans.

The Democrats in PA. also picked up a Senate Seat in a special election in a Republican suburban district west of Philadelphia.

Lynn Swann is able to run as an outsider. However, in the end, people will worry about a guy who has ZERO governmental experience and who doesn't know the basics about the State Constitution.

[CANDO]

18. The Reading Eagle says that special seat in Chester

won by the Democrat will be the first time since the civil war a Democrat has held the seat. To me that speaks volumes about where this election is going this fall. The internal anti-incumbent stuff is nice, but when a district goes Democratic for the first time in 140 years, look the hell out!

[Cosmocat]

20. Swann is going to be a real test ...

My local senator voted for the payraise, and he CLEANED THE CLOCK of the dude running against him ...

Frankly, I think it is more of a civil war within the party in the state ... As the article noted, the Jubileer/Engler (sp) was cooking even before the pay raise ... I think the pay raise just served to stimulate a brewing revolt between factions in the state party ...

They had their little fight, and now, I am sure are going to get back together ...

Swann ... It is going to be a test for those few repukes with any concience ... As noted, how does ANYONE vote for a guy who hasn't even bothered to vote half the time the last 20 years, who has ZERO political experience ... To be governor ...

But, pure hatred, pure partisanship ...

[theHandpuppet]

24. Swann -- 100% opportunist

The man is rabidly anti-choice and even opposes a raise in the minimum wage. Apparently the PA GOP thinks people will vote for this dolt simply because he's a football hero. Sadly, too many will.

[RamboLiberal]

23. A few more Dems would've been defeated if votes weren't split

Some of the pay-raisers had two opponents who together had more votes combined than the incumbent. If I was them, I'd still be shaking.

[Speaker]

17. And the pubs still have 5 more months...

to piss off their "base."

[corporatemedia]

21. Pennacchio calls this "A Beginning", but we want an END..................

to Santorum

Chuck's BEGINNING doesn't help
to END the Dark Ages of Santorum

http://santorumcybergate.blogspot.com/

[creeksneakers2]

26. The GOP base still has anger toward Santorum

Because Santorum campained for Arlen Specter in the 2004 primary. Specter barely edged out a winger candidate, Pat Toomey.

[mvd]

27. And now Specter's trying to return the favor

Won't work.

Specter never really had any principles when it comes down to it. x(

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

28. best part about Babyface Santorum losing will be

hearing hannity have to come to the realization that his annointed candidate is finished