MARIA YOUNG / TIMES PHOTO
U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey was at Cannstatter’s on Tuesday morning, joined by fellow Republican Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Cory Gardner of Colorado.
While Tillis, Cassidy and Gardner all ousted Democrats in 2014, Toomey is in a tight battle with Democrat Katie McGinty.
“We need Pat Toomey in the United States Senate,” Gardner said.
The senators, along with local party boss Joe DeFelice, cited Toomey’s opposition to Obamacare, the Iran nuclear deal, job-killing regulations and sanctuary cities. They pointed to his support of law enforcement, low taxes and the energy and high-tech industries.
“Pat Toomey’s fighting for you,” Cassidy told local supporters of Toomey.
Tillis said Toomey is a leader in the Senate. He dismissed McGinty as “a rubber stamp for Hillary Clinton.”
“Pat Toomey is independent,” he said.
Toomey described sanctuary cities as “a very dangerous policy.” He linked McGinty, who served a brief stint as chief of staff to Gov. Tom Wolf, to the governor’s proposals to raise the sales and income taxes and increase the number of products that could be taxed.
“We can’t have Katie McGinty in Washington,” he said.
Toomey predicted a victory on Nov. 8 after two more weeks of intensive campaigning.
“I’m not going to stop until the polls close at 8 o’clock on election night,” he said.
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U.S. Term Limits, which wants to limit terms for elected officials across the nation, praised Toomey for signing its congressional term limits pledge.
USTL president Philip Blumel said, “Pat Toomey has been a champion of term limits for years. His continued support shows that he is willing to put self-interest aside to follow the will of the people and the founding fathers. America needs a Congress that will be run by citizen legislators, not career politicians.”
The U.S. Term Limits Amendment Pledge is provided to every announced candidate for federal office. It reads, “I pledge that as a member of Congress I will cosponsor and vote for the U.S. Term Limits amendment of three (3) House terms and two (2) Senate terms and no longer limit.”
The U.S. Term Limits Constitutional Amendment has been introduced in both the U.S. Senate by Sen. David Vitter, a Louisiana Republican, and the House of Representatives by Rep. Matt Salmon, an Arizona Republican.
Blumel said, “Over 75 percent of Americans have rejected the career politician model and want to replace it with citizen leadership. The way to achieve that goal is through congressional term limits. Toomey knows this and is willing to keep work to make sure we reach our goal.”
According to Gallup, 75 percent of Americans support congressional term limits.
The term limits amendment bills would require a two-thirds majority in the House and Senate, and ratification by 38 states to become part of the Constitution.
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The Citizens’ Voice, Times-Tribune and Standard-Speaker in Northeast Pennsylvania have endorsed McGinty.
The papers pointed to her record of service in appointed environmental positions at the state and federal levels.
They suggested Toomey is too “pro-business” and knocked him for voting to repeal the Affordable Care Act. They blamed him for helping Majority Leader Mitch McConnell obstruct the Senate, particularly in not allowing a hearing for Merrick Garland to replace the late Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court.
The papers said, “Toomey’s record does not warrant re-election whereas McGinty has the policy credentials to be an effective senator.”
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It’s not clear why the New York Times made an endorsement in the Pennsylvania Senate race, but the paper is backing McGinty.
The newspaper likes her support for raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour over four years. The editorial board also pointed to her background in environmental policy at the state and federal level.
As for Toomey, the board said that “political courage does not seem to be his strong suit.” It cited his refusal to say whether he’ll back Donald Trump for president.
The paper said his views on abortion and Planned Parenthood funding are “right out of the Tea Party playbook.” And it criticized his votes on the environment and to repeal Obamacare.
The paper concluded that McGinty “has an independent streak that would place her state’s interests before party fealty. In any case, she is clearly the much better choice for anyone concerned about social and economic fairness.” ••
Discussing the issues: U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey predicted a victory on Nov. 8 while addressing supporters at Cannstatter’s on Tuesday morning. MARIA YOUNG / TIMES PHOTO
