Tom Smith

Tom Smith was the pro-life Republican nominee in 2012 in the U.S. Senate race in Pennsylvania. He ran against, but was defeated by pro-abortion Democrat incumbent Bob Casey. Tom Smith is an outsider to the Republican establishment in Pennsylvania, having previously been registered as a democrat, and serving on a democratic committee.^[1] He has received an endorsement from the tea party group "The Tea Party Express".^[2]

On October 21, a Republican poll showed Smith ahead of Casey by 2 points, despite a Democrat Party advantage of 1 million registered voters in the state.^[3] However, a poll released on October 31 showed Tom Smith down by ten points.^[4] Interestingly, this poll showed Obama and Romney within the margin of error. As history bore out, Smith lost receiving 44.6% of the vote and Obama won the state.

Senator Casey, in both 2006 and possibly 2012, won pro-life votes based on how his father, who had the same name (Sr.), was pro-life as governor of Pennsylvania. But Senator Casey, the son, voted for ObamaCare and voted against defunding Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider.

2012 Senate Primary[edit]

Tom Smith won the 5-way Republican primary with 39.5% of the vote, besting his closest rival by over 10 points.

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