Choosing the Real Republican

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It’s been called a fight for the soul of the Republican Party. A heated Senate primary race in Pennsylvania is attracting national attention as a contest over what it means to be a Republican.

Next week, the four-term Senator Arlen Specter, a self-confessed centrist, will face Patrick Toomey, a fiery conservative congressman. Some don’t expect Specter to survive. Toomey’s supporters say its time to get rid of soft-bellied politicians like Specter who reach across the aisle from time to time and wobble on Holy Grail issues like taxes, abortion, and small government. And so the battle pits Republican moderates against conservatives, and it has many of the faithful wondering where the future lies. Specter’s people insist that without moderates, the center of the Republican Party will not hold.

Guests:

Stephen Moore, president , Club for Growth

Robert Jubelirer, Pennsylvania State Senator (R)

Dennis Roddy, political reporter, Pittsburgh Post