With the April 27 Pennsylvania primary fast approaching, U.S. Senate Republican candidates Sen. Arlen Specter and Rep. Pat Toomey have become the focus of national attention.
Several millions of dollars of out-of-state contributions have come in for both sides. After four terms in office, polls show incumbent Specter facing the closest race for the Republican nomination in years.
The race has become a closely watched, national election, according to Toomey campaign manager Mark Dion, who said that the added visability is due to the "national implications" and high stakes for Republicans in the state.
If Specter wins another term in office, he will become the chairman of the powerful Senate Judiciary Committee.
Specter is known in the Senate as a fairly liberal Republican, while Toomey is known in the House of Representatives for being a strong conservative.
Dion said that out-of-state contributions make up 45 percent of the donations to the Toomey campaign but argued that Specter has received more out-of-state money than Toomey.
The out-of-state contributions total to Toomey's campaign is $3.6 million, Dion said. Specter's campaign, though, receives a smaller percentage of its total funding from out of state, he said. The organization has received $8.4 million from individual donors outside the state, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer.
"It's not uncommon to find large donations" from out of state, political analyst Terry Madonna said. "Toomey obviously got support from conservatives across the country" and is "vigorously trying to defeat Specter."
Dion said 15 percent of Toomey's contributions have come from special interest groups and 45 percent have come from individuals. Additionally, 50 percent of their high donors are out of state, according to Dion.
"Running against a four-term U.S. senator" is difficult, Madonna said, adding that it is not as easy for Toomey to raise money as it is for Specter, the well-known incumbent.
A recent independent poll by KDKA-TV Pittsburgh, WNEP-TV Scranton and Survey USA showed Toomey edging closer to victory over Specter, with less than half of likely Republican voters intending to vote for Specter.
"Toomey's run a decent campaign," Madonna said, noting that the race has "certainly tightened up" and will be a contest "right down to the wire."
The two candidates will face off in a debate in Altoona, Pa., on April 3, the only such event scheduled between them at this time.
The forum will be held at WTAJ-TV studios and will be hosted by the Pennsylvania Association of Broadcasters and moderated by Philadelphia Daily News political columnist John Baer.
A spokesman for Specter could not be reached.
