By Alex Roarty
PoliticsPA Staff Writer
roarty@politicspa.com

HARRISBURG — In 2004, Pat Toomey was the enemy of most Pennsylvania Republican officials when he challenged incumbent U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter in the GOP primary.

On Saturday, he was their near-unanimous pick to represent the party in the fall, possibly against the man he narrowly lost to six years ago.

“It’s been a long, circuitous path, but I’m very grateful for the endorsement,” said Toomey, minutes after he received the state party’s official support at its winter meeting. “I look forward to winning.”

The former Lehigh Valley congressman easily received support from a majority of state committee members, defeating conservative-activist Peg Luksik in a result that hasn‘t been in doubt since the summer of last year.

Toomey told reporters that receiving the state party’s support wasn‘t something he ever expected would happen, even recently.

“Six years ago, I never thought I would go down this road again,” he said, adding later, “One year ago I didn‘t think I would go down this road again.”

The free-market advocate had focused more on a run for governor as recently as early 2009, before Specter supported the federal stimulus package.

Toomey faces Luksik in the primary, a race in which he is the heavy favorite. Still, the former statewide candidate said she was confident she would defeat Toomey, saying her message is perfectly calibrated to energize activists.

“(Republicans) tell me all the time: ‘We’re tired of the same old talking points. Peg, you say something,’” Luksik told reporters.

In his speech after receiving the endorsement, Toomey said some voters might be skeptical about putting Republicans back in charge.

“But I believe that Pennsylvanians are ready to embrace us if we convince them that we’re willing to live by the highest ideals and founding principles of our great party,” he said.

Toomey has framed his proposed agenda as a common-sense response to “extreme” policy proposals by Democrats in Washington.

Tags: Pat Toomey, Pat Toomey endorsement, Peg Luksik

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