by Michael Stumo
Toomey just announced that he opposes TPP. His reasons are not the trade deficit or currency manipulation. Rather he cites Pharma, IP and dairy issues as objections. He has been very strongly opposite us on trade deals, but this opposition looks good for the remainder of this year.
After seeing the Toomey switch, I took a look at the race a little closer, including the Democratic challenger’s positions. His opponent, Katie McGinty says “flip flop” which is an obvious, predictable and true assertion. McGinty is opposing TPP, Pennsylvanians oppose TPP and the issue is big in the 2016 PA senate race.
McGinty has also detailed Toomey’s support for past free trade deals on her campaign website.
Our CPA experience with Toomey on trade has not been great. He used to head the Club for Growth which wants a borderless world for its transnational crony capitalist supporters. The Club for Growth has supported all trade deals and opposed efforts to fight foreign cheating including currency manipulation. The organization and Toomey have asserted that anything that says “free trade” on the front cover is truly free trade and free markets despite the fact that it is crony capitalism and the enablement of modern trade cheating at the expense of US businesses, agricultural producers and workers.
Toomey’s flip shows how the GOP base is turning a different direction, a more working class direction. It also reflects the fact that McGinty is up 2.5 points over Toomey in the Real Clear Politics polling averages for the race.
