Conservative challenger to Specter likely to get on Senate ballot

[Freddie Stubbs]

LARA JAKES JORDAN

Associated Press


WASHINGTON - The national chairman of the Constitution Party said he filed more than 35,000 signatures Monday to get on Pennsylvania's ballot for the U.S. Senate, all but certainly pitting Sen. Arlen Specter against another conservative challenger this year.

In an unusual cross-party display of animosity against Specter, R-Pa., volunteers for Democratic candidate Rep. Joe Hoeffel helped Constitution Party chairman Jim Clymer collect enough signatures to quality for the ballot.

Democrats have long hoped that Clymer would enter the race, pulling Republican support from Specter and boosting Hoeffel's chances of winning the Nov. 2 election. But Clymer said he expects to have support from Republicans and Democrats who oppose abortion rights - a main plank of his campaign.

"I just don't believe the people of Pennsylvania agree with their views on a number of issues," Clymer, 56, said. "On the issues of jobs, trade, immigration, a runaway judiciary, runaway spending - I think all those issues, Specter and Mr. Hoeffel are on the same side. And I think they're at odds with what a majority Pennsylvanians believe is right."

Specter, a moderate Republican, barely survived a primary challenge this spring against conservative Rep. Pat Toomey. He won by 12,603 votes - the closest challenge of his Senate career.

more: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/politics/9303504.htm?ERIGHTS=8705751392524942232miami::[e-mail]&KRD_RM=5pnmuqomlmrplnuplllllllllu|Anonymous|Y&is_rd=Y

[Momof1]

1. Very interesting...

Now maybe I will get to see at least one ad in support of Hoeffel. Will the DNC start helping him now?

[Caution]

2. blech

using the repub tactic of forcing nader onto the ballot. dont like this one bit.

[Gin]

3. I heard Specter was booed when introduced yesterday....is that true?

g

[Mixxster]

4. Clymer was helped by Hoeffel supporters

http://www.lancasteronline.com/pages/news/local/4/7868


LANCASTER COUNTY, PA - If the name James N. Clymer, a Lancaster attorney and national chairman of the Constitution Party, appears on the Nov. 2 election ballot for U.S. senator, he may have one of the men he'll be running against to thank. Clymer said Tuesday he had help from the campaign of Democratic U.S. Rep. Joe Hoeffel in gathering signatures for his bid to unseat U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter.

Both Hoeffel and Clymer are trying to defeat Specter, a four-term moderate Republican, and Specter's campaign manager, Chris Nichols, accused the Democrats of "using dirty tricks" to get Clymer, who is a longshot to win, on the ballot to divide the conservative vote, demonstrating the desperation of Hoeffel's campaign.

"It does show that Hoeffel is desperate, and it does show that he doesn't think he can win one on one," Nichols said.

But Hoeffel spokeswoman Kristen Carvell said "no paid employees" gathered the signatures, and any Hoeffel campaign volunteer who might have, she said, did so of his or her own volition, not because anyone in Hoeffel's campaign directed them to.