April 27, 2009
From Harrisburg bureau chief Tom Barnes:
HARRISBURG -- U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter had a chance today to
predict victory in his Republican Senate primary battle next year, but
declined.
After a visit to the Capitol to receive an award for standing
up for the rights of crime victims, reporters surrounded him and asked about his
race against former Congressman Pat Toomey of the Lehigh Valley and Peg Luksik
of Johnstown.
"If anybody thinks I'm running for re-election, they're
right,'' he said. "I don't make predictions. I run for office. But I'm facing a
difficult primary, no doubt about it. I'm working on a game plan.''
(How difficult? The latest Rassmussen Reports poll shows Specter down 21 points to Toomey.)
He didn't deny that the campaign could cost at least $30
million. Asked by a local reporter why he's visiting central Pennsylvania so
much lately, he said, "I'm always running for re-election. I cover all 67
counties. Every Monday morning I'm up at 4:45 a.m. and travel around the
state.''
Referring to his longevity in the Senate, which often leads to
power, he quipped, "Does anybody know how long it takes to build up 30 years of
seniority?'' He paused and answered his own question. "That's right, 30
years."
He was praised by the crime victims group for helping get the
Crime Victims Rights Act approved by Congress in 1983. He told some brutal
stories about victims in Philadelphia he tried to help when he was that city's
district attorney in the 1970s.
He said he didn't think Congress would approve a ban on assault
weapons, as Gov. Ed Rendell wants. Mr. Specter said district attorneys should
strongly prosecute cases of illegal weapons and judges should impose tough
sentences.
"We have to look at what is real (legislatively),'' he said. "We should look
to the courts to protect victims.''
Posted
Apr 27 2009, 12:01 PM
by
Timothy McNulty