The party's the thing

Election '06 | In Pennsylvania’s Senate race, two pro-lifers run against party affiliation | Anthony Paul Mator

While Democrats in some states continue to run away from religious voters, Bob Casey Jr., a generally pro-life Pennsylvania Catholic, stands a good chance of toppling the GOP's No. 3 man in the Senate, pro-life Catholic Rick Santorum.

Bolstered by his namesake—a popular former governor who opposed abortion despite pressure from his party—Casey has enjoyed strong support among the state's socially conservative but Democratic-leaning public, in part because of his religion-friendly image. Meanwhile, the two-term incumbent has struggled to energize his Christian conservative base, which resents his endorsement of liberal Sen. Arlen Specter's 2004 reelection bid.

In early September, Santorum's uphill battle seemed to gain momentum when a Zogby/Wall Street Journal poll shrunk Casey's lead to 4 percent, down from a 12-point lead in December. The last three days of the poll coincided with a debate between the candidates on Meet the Press, adding weight to Santorum's prediction that Casey's popularity would shrink once he was forced to reveal his positions.