In an interview with Bill Steigerwald of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, former House Majority Leader Dick Armey made known his take on the race between conservative Rep. Pat Toomey and liberal Sen. Arlen Specter for the Pennsylvania GOP senate nomination.
"[T]he Toomey-Specter race is a very good illustration of a distinction that I don't think we often make, which is a distinction between the party regulars and the conservative base. Toomey is the candidate of the conservative base, and people like myself appreciate him - frankly, we cherish him - because he is so much not an establishment member of Congress but a man of creative thinking and assertive work skills who really is trying to make this government smaller and more effective.
"Specter is an establishment guy, and the party faithful is going to support Specter principally because he's the guy that's in. But if you want the government to change direction, then you've got to be willing to change the personnel in the government."
