Allentown, PA – U.S. Senate candidate Pat Toomey released his first TV ad of the election, introducing himself to voters across Pennsylvania. The ad begins airing today statewide on broadcast and cable TV stations, and will air for an indefinite period of time.
Titled “Generations,” the ad tells voters about Pat Toomey’s record of standing up for taxpayers. In a time of trillion dollar bailouts and deficits, government-run health care, and record unemployment, Pennsylvanians need a senator with a track record of opposing government waste and understands what small businesses need to thrive.
Pat is a former small-businessman who owned and ran a chain of restaurants with his brothers in the Lehigh Valley area. He knows firsthand how excessive government regulation and taxation hinder small business growth. When Pat served in Congress, he was called a “taxpayer hero” by the nonpartisan fiscal watchdog group Citizens Against Government Waste and was endorsed by the Allentown Morning Call in his 2000 Congressional race because “he put his principles ahead of party-line obedience” (Morning Call, 10/15/00).
Pat also has a history of standing up to both Republicans and Democrats in order to save taxpayer dollars. In 2000, Pat pushed Republican leaders to use a portion of the federal surplus toward paying down the country’s debt. The Morning Call was so impressed with Pat’s efforts, they wrote, “At a time when both parties were talking about reducing debt, tax cuts, and new spending, Mr. Toomey’s efforts kept everyone honest” (Morning Call, 10/15/00). Pat also led an unheard of “filibuster” on the floor of the House of Representatives in 2002 in order to force both Democrats and Republicans to reduce spending (Associated Press, 07/17/02).
Also appearing in a speaking role in “Generations” is Pat and Kris Toomey’s oldest child, Bridget Toomey, age 9. Younger brother Patrick, age 8, also appears in the ad. Pat and Kris welcomed their third child, Duncan Toomey, into the world just last Tuesday, May 4th. Keen observers might be able to detect that the ad was filmed prior to Duncan’s birth.
Transcript:
Voiceover: Trillion dollar bailouts and deficits, government-run health care, record unemployment. Had enough? Pat Toomey is a former small business owner who’s created Pennsylvania jobs. He’s been called a “taxpayer hero” who “puts principles ahead of party line obedience.” Toomey’s taken on both parties when they waste tax dollars.
Pat Toomey: I’m Pat Toomey and I approve this message because future generations deserve better.
Bridget Toomey (age 9): And I agree.
Voiceover: More jobs, less government. Pat Toomey.
Documentation:
“Taxpayer Hero”
Citizens Against Government Waste rates members of Congress every year based on how fiscally responsible their votes are. Members with a rating of 80% and above are deemed “taxpayer heroes.” Pat received the “taxpayer hero” status every single year he was in Congress.
“Put his principles ahead of party line obedience”
The Allentown Morning Call endorsed Pat Toomey in his 2000 congressional race over Democrat Ed O’Brien, writing: “After having talked in his 1998 campaign about going to Congress to work toward fiscal discipline, he put his principles ahead of party-line obedience. The best illustration of this came in March of this year when he pulled enough conservative allies together to force Speaker Dennis Hastert to negotiate with him to set aside $4 billion in projected surplus funds for debt reduction . . . At a time when both parties were talking about reducing debt, tax cuts, and new spending, Mr. Toomey’s efforts kept everyone honest.” (Morning Call endorsement, 10/15/00)
“Toomey’s taken on both parties when they waste tax dollars”
- Pat criticized Republican leaders in 1999 when they wanted to eradicate spending caps they had passed in 1997. Pat told the Morning Call, “What surprises me is that we have to have this conversation. In 1997, the President and Congress agreed to spending levels that I think were too high then. Now we’re saying, ‘Well gee, do you stick with those commitments or not?’ Well, I think that’s a no-brainer—you stick with the cap.” (Morning Call, 03/25/99)
- Pat took on the Republican leadership and won a guarantee to use a portion of the surplus to pay off the federal debt. The Morning Call wrote: “Just getting debt reduction into the $1.82 trillion budget resolution was a coup. But to do it knowing it could threaten a $9 billion supplemental appropriations bill supported by House Speaker Dennis Hastert, took moxie. The move surprised Speaker Hastert and House Appropriations Chairman Bill Young, and Rep. Young threatened to kill the budget resolution unless Rep. Toomey’s provision was killed. Finally, he agreed to that in exchange for the debt-reduction promise.” (Morning Call, 03/26/00)
- Pat was instrumental in convincing Republican leaders to maintain rules mandating term limits for committee chairs, originally passed in 1995. The Morning Call praised Pat for his effort, writing: “Constituents of the 15th and 8th Congressional Districts can feel a measure of pride in their Republican representatives for the leadership and wisdom they demonstrated in Washington this week. U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey was instrumental in convincing his Republican colleagues Wednesday to keep a three-term limit on committee and subcommittee chairmen.” (Morning Call, 11/17/00)
- Pat and other congressmen led a “filibuster” against his own Republican leadership in order to force House leaders to restrain spending. They offered a series of amendments on the $19.8 billion Interior Department bill, nearly $900 million more than the President’s request (Associated Press, 07/17/02).
Pat Toomey for U.S. Senate Mon, 05/10/2010 Contact—Nachama Soloveichik • 484.809.7994 • 646.528.1029 Tim Kelly • 484.809.7994 For Immediate Release—May 10, 2010
