Lancaster Online.com: News : Toomey grabs slight early edge here

Toomey grabs slight early edge here
By Tom Murse
Lancaster New Era

Published: Apr 27, 2004 1:05 PM EST


LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - Challenger Pat Toomey grabbed a slim lead locally over incumbent Arlen Specter in the Republican battle for U.S. Senate, a New Era exit poll found. The informal survey of 113 voters at 23 polling places here found that 52 percent voted for Toomey, while 48 percent voted for Specter.Despite Toomey's apparent advantage in the first 2 hours of voting here, however, the poll suggests that he might not carry Lancaster County with a large enough plurality to win the statewide contest.

Political analysts have said that Toomey needs a substantial victory here and in a handful of conservative counties in southcentral Pennsylvania to offset Specter's base of support in the southeast part of the state.

Under clear skies and bright sunshine, turnout was steady -- and at some polls above average.

Voters who chose Toomey said overwhelmingly that they did so because of his anti-abortion stance.

"Only God has the right to decide,'' said Steve Rockelman, 40, a New Holland elementary school teacher who voted for Toomey.

Several others said they simply disliked Specter, and one said she did so because of Dr. James Dobson's endorsement of Toomey.

On the other hand, voters who chose Specter, who is pro-choice, said they did so because of his seniority in the Senate, and more importantly because of President Bush's endorsement.

"I think Toomey is probably a good man, but President Bush really influenced me, because I am for President Bush and everything he does,'' said Mary Habecker, 68, a retired secretary from East Hempfield Township.

Dave Hanson, 63, a Maytown missionary who runs a Christian retreat center, said: "It was a tough choice. I like Toomey, but I voted for Specter because ultimately I want Bush to hang on to the Senate. He needs Specter for that.

"I don't agree with (Specter) on abortion rights, but I want to put Bush through in November. I want to encourage Bush. He's a godly man,'' Hanson said.

The New Era exit poll is only a snapshot of early morning voting activity, but it has proven in past years to be a reliable indicator of voter preferences. The survey was conducted by eight New Era reporters.

The poll focused solely on the Republican Senatorial primary because it is one of the most closely watched races in the nation, and certainly the most high-profile race on the ballot today.

Specter, who has served in the Senate for 23 years, has watched his double-digit lead evaporate over the last month. Polls have shown Toomey, a Lehigh County congressman, as little as 5 percentage points behind the incumbent.

The winner of the race will face Democrat Joe Hoeffel, a congressman from Montgomery County in suburban Philadelphia.

Concerns about how long Specter has been in office brought Claire LeFevre, 50, of Stevens, to the polls in Clay Township this morning. She voted against Specter, she said, because he has been in office too long.

"It is time for a change,'' said LeFevre, an administrative assistant with the Ephrata Area School District. "I don't think they should remain in office longer than two terms. He's had his time and it is a lot longer than it should have been.'' David Marks, 51, of Manheim Township, wanted to retire Specter because of the senator's role in bringing down the nomination of Robert Bork to the U.S. Supreme Court in 1987.

"I have waited nearly 20 years to "Bork' Specter,'' said Marks, who is president of National Nutrition in Neffsville.

Others, however, voted for Specter because they knew little if anything about his challenger.

"I never heard about Toomey before in my life and I think you should know something about somebody before you vote for them,'' said Katie Buggy, 45, of Elizabethtown.

Lee Shank, of East Hempfield Township, held a similar view.

"Arlen Specter has power, and the other one, you can't tell what he's going to do,'' she said.

The race between Specter and Toomey is the most high-profile contest, but it is not the only one.

The other significant race is for state attorney general. On the Republican side, voters were deciding between Bruce Castor of Montgomery County and Tom Corbett of Allegheny County.

The Republican nominee will face the winner of the three-way Democratic race for the row office between John Morganelli of Northampton County, David Barasch of Dauphin County and Jim Eisenhower of Philadelphia County.

Locally, all of the county's state representatives and one state senator -- Republican Gibson E. Armstrong -- are up for re-election this year, as is U.S. Rep. Joe Pitts. But none is being challenged by members of their own party.

Pitts, Armstrong and at least three state House members will face opposition in November.

In the only statewide ballot initiative, voters are deciding whether they are in favor of allowing the state to borrow $250 million to provide grants and loans for the construction and rehabilitation of water-supply and sewage-treatment systems.

The polls remain open until 8 p.m.

(Staff writers Susan Baldrige, Jack Brubaker, Bernard Harris, Amy Leeking, David O'Connor, Ryan Robinson and John M. Spidaliere contributed to this report.)


- posted by MrSpkr @ 20:42