The heartbreaker for this election has been Rick Santorum (R-PA). I know there are people who are angry with him because of his fiery primary endorsement of Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) in 2004. Pat Toomey would have won the primary over Specter had it not been for Santorum, who based his judgment on the narrow Republican margin in the Senate. He told confidants that had he foreseen that the GOP would pick up four seats he would have handled the primary differently. Data shows that Santorum's continued deficit over State Auditor Robert Casey, Jr., is due, in part, to bitterness over Santorum's perceived betrayal.
However good punishing Santorum may make some voters feel, his loss will be felt in Washington for years. He has been a leader of social-issue conservatives in the Senate. Santorum is the conscience of the Senate GOP Conference. Casey, on the other hand, has switched positions on a number of subjects, the latest being embryonic stem-cell research. But the worst part of the campaign is that Casey has dodged almost every controversial issue. Far from the conscience of the Senate, Casey will be a monument to political expediency.
Another campaign I truly admire is that of Maryland Lieutenant Governor Michael W. Steele. From the beginning, his television commercials have been the most original, refreshing spots ever seen in the Washington area. Those commercials, all written entirely by him, have made him a serious contender. Steele secured the endorsement of many high-profile Black leaders, including boxer Mike Tyson and boxing promoter Don King, Kwesi Mfume, Jr., son of the former head of the NAACP, the majority of Prince George's County Supervisors, as well as Wayne Curry, the recent County Executive in Prince George's County. These Black Democrats agree that the Democratic Party has taken them for granted and it is time for a change. Representative Benjamin F. Cardin, Democratic nominee for the Senate, has had Michael J. Fox, Senator Barak Obama (D-IL) and former President William J. Clinton campaign for him.
The momentum clearly is with Steele. Unfortunately, he may have begun too far behind Cardin in this bluer-than-blue State. It would help both parties if a Black conservative were elected. The other two who are running seem to have little chance of winning.
Many of the other races lack substance. There has been far too little debate about real issues. In Missouri, the very able Senator James Talent has suffered and may be defeated for that reason. People in the State are not aware of what his opponent represents. While I am given to believe that I will be very unhappy with the results, I am thankful this awful campaign, with few exceptions, is nearly over.