Squash this, Arlen: Ridge is coming for you.

How do you beat a moderate Republican (well, at least he used to be) who is beloved in a Democratic-shifting state?

Easy: Send in another moderate Republican, and one that is equally respected among Pennsylvania's angry, angry left-wingers.

Enter Tom Ridge, former Governor of PA (as well as the last good governor), first Secretary of Homeland Security (he didn't ask to be part of that, dammit) and all-around man. He's thinking about running for Senate now, according to the Washington Post.

If he ran, he would almost certainly face primary opposition from former congressman Pat Toomey, a conservative who came within two points of knocking off Specter in the 2004 Republican primary. Toomey has made it clear that he is in the race regardless of whether Ridge, who is considered to be a moderate, runs.

This would actually be endorsed by a few of us at tRBT. Tom Ridge is a classy guy, and was conservative enough to keep the crazies happy but moderate enough to appease raging liberals with hard-ons for a terrible, heretic left-wing agenda which involved science, health care, education and (no!!!!) gay marriage for both terms as governor.

But, in the end, this is probably about money. Ridge is doing a lot of work in the private sector right now, and probably just wanted a little free advertising. We certainly shall see. But thus far, we are okay with this. For now. Just quit color coding our potential for catastrophe, Guv'nah.