Perhaps no other race in the nation better illustrates the stark difference in governing philosophies facing voters at the ballot box than Pennsylvania’s contest between Pat Toomey and Joe Sestak.

Pat Toomey, small business entrepreneur and strident free enterprise advocate, faces Joe Sestak, the personification of the Obama agenda and open advocate of carrying its least popular policies — like stimulus spending and energy taxes — even further.

In contrast to Toomey’s attitude that states, communities, and families are best equipped to solve their own challenges, Sestak makes no apologies for his belief that government and its bureaucrats are the vanguard for social progress.

Pennsylvanians face a time for choosing between a vitalizing culture of enterprise and an enervating statism.

And Toomey, ever playing the part of humble and understated statesman for “more jobs and less government,” as his campaign slogan goes, deploys a more precise, nuanced vernacular than the average Pennsylvania politician.

On the stump circuit throughout the commonwealth, Toomey speaks of this period in our history as a critical “inflection point” when voters will choose radically different futures. He condemns “giant, powerful government” that necessarily allows ”their mandarins to force the kind of outcomes that they think the rest of us should have.”

But Pennsylvania is a peculiar state, a bastion of traditional values encircled by heavily liberal, Democrat urban strongholds.

The Keystone State hasn’t chosen a Republican president since George H.W. Bush in 1988. Rick Santorum won his first senate term in the GOP year of 1994 by only 2.5 points. And moderate Gov. Tom Ridge won his first election by only four points.

With Toomey enjoying a modest lead in most polls, he’s taking nothing for granted, and Battle ‘10 caught up with him along the trail to reflect on the past year and the closing hours of the campaign.

“I think we’ve done the job of exposing his liberal voting record, [and] how extreme he is on the big issues of the day,” said Toomey. “Understand that most swing voters are not particularly ideological. What’ll motivate them is that these policies have failed. We don’t have job creation as they promised, precisely because of policies they’ve been pursuing. That’s the key that will win us a lot of swing voters.”

On Obamacare, Toomey remains bullish on a repeal-and-replace agenda, but cautions on what new legislation will need to achieve. “I’ve always said that it needs to be replaced with a series of reforms that will improve access and lower costs.”

On his recent appearances with Govs. Chris Christie, Haley Barbour, and Tim Pawlenty, Toomey told Battle ‘10 he believed they provided models for good governance. ”It’s energizing and exciting for our supporters to see these three men with national stature who’ve each done outstanding jobs in their respective states,” said Toomey.

“They’ve been demonstrating the principles I’ve been advocating,” explained Toomey, and serve as proof that those principles “work extremely well when consistently applied.”

And what about his opponent’s frequent appearances with national leaders like former President Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden, and President Obama?

“For the liberal Democratic base,” said Toomey, “I’m sure it’s encouraging and motivating to hear from President Clinton and President Obama, but for the electorate at large, it’s a reminder of how liberal Joe Sestak is,” said Toomey. “He’s well to left of Bill Clinton, he’s to left of Barack Obama, though very supportive of his overall agenda.”

In short, Toomey reiterated, Sestak is “out of step with Pennsylvania.”

Sestak, though, has sought to paint Toomey in just such a light, and his campaign, along with the DSCC, has continued to run ads describing Toomey as a “lobbyist” for Wall Street, and has suggested he run for senate “in China” due to his free trade platform.

Another ad has suggested he seeks to eliminate all corporate taxes, despite Toomey just last year writing in his book, The Road to Prosperity, that an ideal rate would be 17 percent to make the nation more competitive globally.

“It is a little annoying when they’re so willfully dishonest,” admitted Toomey. “I’m not now nor have I ever been a lobbyist. Joe Sestak knows this but repeates this untruth,” laments Toomey, citing one of the more stinging attacks.

Still, Toomey is optimistic about his platform reaching voters, and believes Sestak’s strategy will backfire.

“I don’t think it’s working for them. We’ve stuck to truthful discussion on the differences between Sestak and myself,” said Toomey. He cited their differing positions on key policies like stimulus, cap and trade, and terrorist trials as examples of what he called a “very clear contrast” for Pennsylvanians.

Reflecting on recent reports of potential voter fraud in Bucks County, and last week’s court decision to hold all absentee ballots for further investigation after Democrat Rep. Pat Murphy’s campaign solicited absentee applications through a fictitious ”Voter Assistance Office,” Toomey was blunt.

“It’s always disturbing when the Democratic Party, in Bucks County in this case, would engage in voting irregularities,” said Toomey. “It’s pretty outrageous in any way to interfere with people’s right to cast their votes. [But] my impression is that it’s on a sufficiency small scale,” said Toomey.

With only hours remaining until the polls open for one of the most anticipated Election Days in living memory, Toomey reflected on the long, multi-year race.

“I think we’ve executed very well, and our team has done outstanding job,” Toomey said. Our fundraising operations have exceeded all goals through every quarter, our grassroots team has done a fabulous job putting together an extensive team in 67 counties, our political operation did very well, [and] we’ve totally dominated the endorsement contest, especially among swing groups.”

Toomey has picked up a myriad base of endorsers, including the Pennsylvania Fraternal Order of Police, the Pennsylvania Medical Society PAC, the American Medical Association PAC, the National Federation of Independent Business, and most recently the Philadelphia Firefighters Union.

“By every objective measure we’ve executed very well,” concluded Toomey. “We go into Election Day with modest lead, but nevertheless a lead that will endure.”