Voters confused by facts in campaign ads

Voters across the state are being bombarded by campaign advertisements in the last few weeks leading up to the April 27 Pennsylvania primary.

One of the races that has garnered the most media attention has been the race between Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and Rep. Pat Toomey (R-Pa., 15th District), who are both vying to be the Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate. Toomey has focused his campaign on his highly conservative record, distinguishing himself from the more liberal principles of Specter.

Although there are distinct differences between the candidates, voters may be getting confused by the voting records and statistics touted by either side in many of the advertisements, according to political analysts.

Voters are being "barraged by commercials" and are "trying to make sense of it," analyst Terry Madonna said. "And I don't think they can."

Toomey and Specter each have claimed that their opponent has voted against military pay raises, while both sides respond to this criticism by noting that they have, in fact, voted for the pay raises.

Both candidates are "using votes for their own purposes," Madonna said, noting that "you can't serve in Congress, casting thousands and thousands of votes, and not find yourself in a position where your votes are taken out of context."

Toomey has accused Specter of painting his record falsely. Specter "says that Congressman Toomey voted against federal funding for abstinence programs," when Toomey is actually "a big believer in abstinence education," Toomey spokesman Joe Sterns said.

Contradictions like these are what lead to voter confusion when they get to the polls.

"I don't think voters have any way of effectively figuring [the contradictions] out ... in the system that exists today," Madonna said.

While Toomey's side argued that Specter's support numbers continue to "drop like a stone," most of the recent polls still have Specter leading Toomey in the race.

Madonna said voters can definitely recognize the distinction between Toomey's cultural conservatism, citing his opposition to gay marriage and abortion, and Specter's more liberal leanings and experience, which brings a lot of goods and services to the state.

Beyond these generalizations, it is "not actually possible for typical voters to make their minds up about this stuff," Madonna said of the smaller differences between the candidates' voting histories.

Madonna said that although Toomey "seems to be holding his own" in the race, "he definitely has an uphill fight."

"Specter is the toughest campaigner in Pennsylvania's politics," with "grassroots organizations in every county ... . He's a tough campaigner."

However, Madonna said of a victory for Toomey, "anything's possible."

Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The Daily Pennsylvanian.