AFA of PA Predicts a Tough Race for Senator Santorum in ’06

The head of a Pennsylvania pro-family organization believes U.S. Senator Rick Santorum is facing a tough re-election bid because he has moved to the middle and alienated his conservative base. Diane Gramley is president of the American Family Association of Pennsylvania. Gramley believes the two-term senator will face a serious challenge next year from Bob Casey, the presumptive Democratic nominee, who has been endorsed by the AFL-CIO. But Gramley predicts Santorum will ultimately triumph. “Of course the media paints the situation the worst possible way that they can,” Gramely notes, “but I believe he will be re-elected. [Santorum] has made some decisions that have kind of put him more in the middle rather than on the right. [And] he has done things that have caused his base to scratch their head.” According to Gramley, Santorum’s problems began with his fellow senator from the Keystone State, Arlen Specter. “Santorum came out and supported Arlen Specter alongside President Bush,” she points out. “So that was the beginning of his problems with his base, because those who hold traditional values here in Pennsylvania … supported Congressman Pat Toomey in his bid against Senator Specter [in the Republican primary].” Gramley says Pennsylvania pro-family voters are also not happy with Santorum’s decision to back away from supporting the teaching of intelligent design in the public school system. [Chad Groening]