But doesn’t the case for Pat Toomey look a lot stronger today? It’s no secret that Specter in any position of authority is a disaster for conservatives, but Specter’s conservative supporters (such as Rick Santorum) kept making a prudential argument: The GOP Senate majority is just too slim to take a chance on Pat Toomey, especially when Specter is a sure thing for re-election. This is not an outrageous argument. But consider it today: Republicans don’t need Specter for a majority, not even accounting for the possibility of a guy like Chafee bolting the party. What’s more, Specter clearly didn’t help put Bush over the top in Pennsylvania. So remind me: As we consider the prospect of Judiciary Committee Chairman Specter, why was this a good bargain? Last April, I was convinced that it was worth taking a chance on Toomey. Today, even more so.