Pat Toomey Has Big 1st Quarter. Senator Arlen Specter and Congressman Joe Sestak “Still Counting”
Conservative Republican Pat Toomey raised $2.3 million in the 1st quarter of 2010, marking his U.S. Senate campaign’s most successful fundraising quarter to date. That leaves the former congressman with over $4 million cash in hand.
“I have been the number one fundraiser among all senate challenger candidates in the country.” Toomey told Fox News. “We have been able to preserve our resources, I think that Arlen Specter and Joe Sestak are about to unload a whole lot of money in what will probably be a very nasty democratic primary that’s about to unfold.”
Toomey is running for the U.S. senate seat currently occupied by Senator Arlen Specter (D) and does not have any serious competition in the Republican primary.
Specter’s campaign has not released 2010 1st quarter fundraising numbers yet, with aides telling Fox news they are still counting up the receipts.
“We are very pleased with where our fundraising is. We have a Democratic primary to deal with first, then we will turn our attention to Mr. Toomey.” Said Specter Campaign Manager Christopher Nicholas.
Specter enjoys the support of the White House, which will be on display again today when Specter attends opening day at Nationals Park in Washington with President Obama. Specter defected to the Democratic Party last year citing, in part, a difficult battle in the Pennsylvania 2010 GOP primary race.
Specter’s democratic challenger Congressman Joe Sestak is also yet to release his latest fundraising numbers. “We ended last year with more than $5 million cash in hand, more than any other senate challenger. We’re in a very strong position to do what we need to do.” Said Sestak Campaign Spokesman Jonathon Dworkin.
The Pennsylvania Democratic Senatorial Primary is only six weeks away, so many political experts and players in Pennsylvania expect Sestak to take his message to the television airwaves very soon.
The latest polls show Toomey leading the field, and Specter with a commanding lead over Sestak.
A Franklin and Marshall survey conducted from March 15 – 21 shows Toomey leading Specter 33% to 29% and Specter over Sestak 32% to 12%. The Franklin and Marshall College poll included 1,119 adult Pennsylvania residents and has a margin of error of +/- 2.9%
If Arlen Specter wins the Democratic primary, it will not be the first time he has faced Pat Toomey. The two squared off in 2004 for the Pennsylvania Senatorial GOP primary, with Specter edging Toomey by less than 2%.