Notepad

Politics rarely offers such a clear combination shot as the one presented by the House climate-change vote to former Rep. Patrick J. Toomey, the Republican Senate candidate in Pennsylvania.

To win in November 2010, Toomey must prove to voters, particularly conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans, that he isn't the fire-breathing ideologue he was portrayed as in a 2004 primary run against Sen. Arlen Specter -- a portrait based on his House voting record in three terms. Similarly, he needs to paint his opponent, whether it's the new Democrat Specter or Rep. Joe Sestak, who is all but certain to challenge Specter for the nomination, as too far to the left for Pennsylvania.

That helps explain why Toomey used a Monday morning news release to pat four moderate-to-conservative House Democrats on their backs for voting against the climate-change bill, which includes a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions.

"Along with 40 other Democrats, these Pennsylvania Democrats had the courage to stand up to one-party rule in Washington," Toomey said. "It is a shame Rep. Joe Sestak couldn't muster up the same courage. Instead, he voted to support Nancy Pelosi's extreme agenda. The question is, will Senator Specter choose the same path?"