I was pleased to see the news. Spencer's incumbency might make a tougher contest for Hoeffel, but at least we're spared the months of annunciations regarding a newly ascendant asshole conservatism. The best part of all was that turnout was so weak for the most hotly contested Republican contest of the year. Not that Democratic primaries are going to fare so much better—it's just that this contest was consistently described as crucial to the future of the party, and I'm happy to hear that the anti-tax, anti-gay, anti-progress jihad is neither as expansive nor as mobilized as some might have you believe.
UPDATE: I disagree with Yglesias (or, his roommate, anyway):
Contrary contrary view, due to my roommate, is that the damage fretted about above has already been done by Toomey's impressive performance vis-à-vis Specter. Given that, it's better for the damage to at least result in the nomination of the less-viable GOP candidate for the general election.That "damage" is the threat that, with a high-profile Toomey victory, right-wing lunacy would come to be seen as the must-have accessory for legislative contests in 2004. Surely for the folks who are already crazy it doesn't matter that Toomey lost—others will follow, this is only the beginning, the 1950s will rise again—and those guys will still be checking for your Reaganite credentials at the door. But relatively normal Republicans have been polled, and they aren't falling in line to the same overwhelming degree that the conservative media establishment has. Most importantly, Toomey lost, and losers never prosper. Without a public forum for Toomey, or at least an equivalent, high-profile race elsewhere, who but the same old talking heads will be bringing the message of pure ideology to the people?
If there's "damage" to be assigned in this contest, I think it goes with Bush. How can he be so despicable to Democrats and liberals worldwide, yet at home, push the Republican Party toward new frontiers of vile?
Posted by Kriston at April 28, 2004 10:25 AMI was rather confused on who we were supposed to be rooting for in this. The CW was Toomey's extremisn made him easier to beat, but if he'd pulled this off, he would've had big momentum, and now Specter's been weakened too, I would imagine. Sounds like a wash.
It's been fun to witness the bitching and moaning in the Corner this morning.
Posted by: Dimmy Karras at April 28, 2004 12:56 PMBush campaigned for Specter. Conservatives are going to go to the polls and vote for Bush anyway. Now, in Penn. we'll have the centrists coming out to vote for Specter...who will then punch their chad for Bush. Expect Penn. to be a Red State. --s
Posted by: J.Scott Barnard at April 28, 2004 2:59 PM