Toomey: No Endorsement and Not Likely To Be VP

Senator Pat Toomey fielded questions from reporters regarding his take on the presidential race in a brief press conference held today at the Pa Leadership Conference in Camp Hill Pennsylvania.

The press conference was centered around the Republican primary that is about to descend on Pennsylvania. Right out of the gate, the Senator was asked about his name being mentioned as a potential VP selection for the eventual Republican nominee. Toomey, however, seems uninterested in adding his name to the mix.

“I think that’s so extremely unlikely that I don’t spend anytime thinking about it,” said Toomey.

His response prompted one reporter to quip that’s exactly what he said before he was appointed to the Super Committee that was created to cut down the national deficit. Toomey laughed saying, “It just shows I can be wrong”, but turned serious when addressing the committee’s failures.

“I’m very disappointed we couldn’t get a successful outcome, but I think some of the work will not be lost,” Toomey said of the committee’s efforts.

The Senator, who has yet to endorse a candidate in the presidential primary, said his recent praise of Governor Romney’s tax plan was because it reflected his own plan and does not mean he is planning on siding with a candidate.

“No, I have not made and endorsement and I have no plans to make an endorsement,” said Toomey. “ I just wanted to commend Governor Romney for a very good plan.

Toomey refused to draw lines between the candidates like Santorum and Gingrich who have run on the assertion that they are the conservative alternative to the moderate Romney. He did, however, say that Romney is a conservative.

“I think Governor Romney is absolutely committed to the principles of limited government and free enterprise,” said Toomey.

Toomey also played the neutrality card when asked if he thinks the primary has dragged on the too long without a clear nominee being selected. The Senator pointed to the “stark contrast” between the directions that the country would be lead under Obama as opposed to the Republican alternative as the driving force that will unite the party before the convention.

The Senator was asked whether he is concerned that social issues like religious freedom and contraception that have dominated the primary’s dialogue are distracting from the major points important to moderate voters like the economy. Toomey said that “economic growth and fiscal discipline” should be the focus of the primary, but did not discredit the conservative stance on these social issues.

“Lets face it, the President’s policy was a direct affront to religious freedom and it was right push back on that,” said Toomey.

President Obama did receive some praise from Toomey for his support of the Jobs Act that includes bills created by the Senator. Toomey didn’t care to speculate on the question of whether this support from the President was just election-time politics.

3 Responses

  1. The logic after the Pa primary of picking Toomey for VP will become quite clear. Romney will win and then a serious vetting has to begin.

    Toomey has been active legislatively and in congressional endorsements in key areas of the country. If he’s not positioning for VP,he’s darned sure doing a great job of faking it…

  2. However, Sen. Casey is ready to weigh in with his endorsement, hoping to be considered for the second spot on the Republican ticket…

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