A Ned Lamont of our very own?

Former Congressman Pat Toomey (R, PA-15), current Club for Growth President, just announced on Bobby Gunther Walsh’s 1-On-1 Show, WAEB, 790AM, that a Primary challenge to Senator Arlen Specter is “now back on the table.”

Mr. Toomey acknowledged that “Senator Specter cast the deciding vote on the very worrisome stimulus Bill, when he could have negotiated with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and President Obama for more productive tax cuts and less wasteful spending.” Pennsylvanians need to do some soul searching about who will really represent us in the Senate.

Remember, Toomey had been thinking about passing on the Senate and making a run for governor next year after coming within two points of knocking off Specter in the 2004 primary. Why the change of heart? Because, unlike Lamont, given Specter’s polling these days, he might not have to defeat the incumbent twice to win his seat. Or would he?

A new statewide poll shows 53 percent of Pennsylvanians — and 66 percent of Republicans — want someone to replace Sen. Arlen Specter.

Asked whether they think Specter, a Philadelphia Republican, has done his job well enough to win re-election or whether they’d prefer a “new person” in that job, registered voters by a 53-38 percent margin said it’s time to give someone else a chance, according to the poll by Susquehanna Polling and Research. Eight percent were undecided…

If the election were held today, “in a two-person race, Specter is toast” if his challenger is a credible candidate, Lee said. A race with more candidates likely would improve Specter’s chances of winning.

Exit question one: Would losing the primary to Toomey actually help Specter? If the Democrats run a Blue Dog against him in a two-man race, conservative Republicans might cross over en masse to punish him for his stimulus betrayal. If it’s a three-man race, conservative Republicans vote for Toomey, liberal Democrats vote for the Dem, and centrists from both sides opt — maybe — for Specter. Exit question two, in case any of Toomey’s people stumble across this post: Would you donate to Toomey’s campaign? I’m sensing mass blogospheric support. Maybe he is our Lamont after all.