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Tuesday, April 28th, 2009 at 1:36 pm - by Matt Campbell. Filed under: Politics.
Republican U.S. Senator Arlen Specter just announced he's going to run as a Democrat next year
In a statement released today, Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Arlen Specter says it was his controversial vote in support of President Obama’s Stimulus Plan that proved to be too much for his fellow Republicans to handle.
It has become clear to me that the stimulus vote caused a schism which makes our differences irreconcilable. On this state of the record, I am unwilling to have my twenty-nine year Senate record judged by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate. I have not represented the Republican Party. I have represented the people of Pennsylvania.
I have decided to run for re-election in 2010 in the Democratic primary.
The full text of his letter is posted on the Philadelphia Daily News’ website.
Specter has been a member of the Republican Party since 1966. He says the Party has moved far to the right and that he now finds his political philosophy “more in line with Democrats than Republicans.”
Specter was also facing an uphill fight to keep his seat next year. In a Washington Post story yesterday, his seat was one of the five Senate seats most likely to switch parties next November.
Today’s move has two major implications.
On the national level, it moves Senate Democrats 59 members which are one short of a filibuster-proof majority. A filibuster allows the minority-party (the Republicans) a political maneuver to block legislation. Democrats are hoping that Al Franken is seated as the 60th Senate Democrat. His race against Republican Norm Coleman remains tied up in the courts.
On the local level, it reshapes the dynamics of Arlen Specter’s 2010 Senate re-election race. In the race for the Republican Primary, it leaves room for a moderate Republican to challenge former PA Congressman Pat Toomey. For the Democratic Primary, this could create some folks to rethink their plans. Joe Torsella is a declared candidate and others who were mentioned as possible Senate candidates include: Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz and Congressman Joe Sestak.
April 29th, 2009 at 10:29 am
It seems that Spector wanted to improve his chances of winning the senatorial election in 2010. Since he sided with the Dems on the passing of the recent Stimulus Package, it also looks like he wants to be in the forefront by being on the winning side with Obama in general.