Reply #8: Simple answer: Weak opponents

[JPZenger]

Santorum had did not have strong opponents in his two Senate elections. If he had gone up against a strong candidate, such as Bob Casey, in the past, he never would have been elected.

In 2000, Santorum defeated Ron Who? Klink. He was a former TV newsman who only won because the Democratic Party was so divided in the primary.

When Santorum was first elected in 1994, he defeated Harris Wofford. Wofford was a well-meaning intelligent person. However, it was too easy to paint Wofford as a liberal in the year of the "Contract With America." Wofford had pushed for national health insurance, which was being ridiculed in 1994.

The long tradition in PA. is to elect moderate Republicans to the Senate, such as Spector, John Heinz and Richard Schweiker. Santorum is an extreme exception. I believe most PA. voters didn't know much about Santorum until he went on his recent wacky-comment of the week campaign.