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The Spectacle Blog

Arlen Specter Changing Parties

By John Tabin on 4.28.09 @ 12:07PM

According to several reports, Specter is leaving the Republican party to caucus with the Democrats. It's unclear whether he'll call himself a Democrat or an independent, but the effect is the same: once Al Franken is seated, the Dems will have a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate.

UPDATE: He's becoming a Democrat, but says that he won't necessarily break filibusters:

My change in party affiliation does not mean that I will be a party-line voter any more for the Democrats that I have been for the Republicans. Unlike Senator Jeffords’ switch which changed party control, I will not be an automatic 60th vote for cloture. For example, my position on Employees Free Choice (Card Check) will not change.

View all comments (14) | Leave a comment

L. Ross| 4.28.09 @ 12:15PM

Good Riddance, ya loser. Now, maybe we can elect a republican.

Pete| 4.28.09 @ 12:32PM

So for two more years he will take whichever side he pleases based on what he is "offered" behind the scenes...what a true politician. What's in it for me - great mantra.

Bob| 4.28.09 @ 12:39PM

.... and the Republican party continues to downsize becoming the party of the small tent. Specter knew he couldn't win the social conservative run Pennsylvania Republican primary, and now he will not only get Democrat support in a Democrat state, but get moderates and independents as well. Like I've said, a small tent strategy will not work.

WendyG| 4.28.09 @ 12:43PM

Un - freakin - real. What a disloyal putz.

Real American| 4.28.09 @ 12:55PM

Specter isn't hated just because of his liberal social views. He is hated because he's a spineless on economic issues. He helped pass the Porkulus bill and is an economic liberal, which the country doesn't need and is why he was going to lose the GOP Primary. Good riddance.

yeah. he switched parties, but he's still a Democrat.

PT 109| 4.28.09 @ 12:59PM

Donkey or elephant, Specter is going down. Enjoy retirement senator.

Bob| 4.28.09 @ 1:03PM

PT -- Specter ain't goin' down... The Democrat party has agreed to support him as their candidate in the 2010 election and he will run virtually unopposed. He will have more funds than Toomey, support from Obama, and is running in a Democrat state. There is no way he can lose.

This is part of a "big tent" Democrat strategy. As least they know how to use data and count.

Mary| 4.28.09 @ 1:05PM

I don't think I've labeled anyone a RINO, but this is not a bad thing. He's not a limited government man and he belongs with the Democrat party.

May his health hold and his majority decline.

Latest polls show a pretty even split in the congressional ballot, don't they?

Republicans have an opportunity to bring out a good candidate to run against Specter. Who was the young man who ran against Murtha?

Bob| 4.28.09 @ 1:38PM

Mary, in the latest PA polls, only 29% of Republicans have a favorable opinion of Specter, compared to 60% of Democrats and 41% of independents. Since PA is a Democrat state, it looks pretty good for Specter. Furthermore, there will be a large crossover vote from those 29% who are moderates like Specter. It is going to be hard for him to lose.

Bob| 4.28.09 @ 1:39PM

With Specter in our tent, maybe they can get the gay marriage bill passed. Ive been waiting for so long. Thank you Senator

Mary| 4.28.09 @ 1:57PM

Bob, I think you're probably right. And I think Mr. Antle's recent thoughts on this are right too.

JP| 4.28.09 @ 2:39PM

Bob,
Senator Spectre will have no cover now. With the GOP, he could always say, "I'm all you got". Not anymore. He calculated he couldn't win in the primary, and if he ran as a Democrat he could always count on the Obama afterglow. Things could change and Nov 2010 is a long way off.

Spectre has maybe a 50-50 chance of winning in 2010. President Bush almost won Penn in 2004, and Spectre needed his coattails to ride to victory. Pennsylvania like many border states rode a wave of anti-Bush, anti Iraq fevor for the past 5 years. Bush is gone, and no matter how hard Obama attempts to keep him the conversation, Obama and the Dems will be judged on thier own merits. This is something totally new for the Dems. Spectre offers them only one thing- a vote. Snarlin' Arlene is a cagy pol. Politics, and power are all he cares about, obviously. Not even terminal illness and age can slack his thirst. I think it is pretty pathetic.

Well he's yours now. Good luck with your big tent, you'll need it.

Bob| 4.28.09 @ 3:18PM

JP -- I'm still a Republican. PA's voter demographics are the second oldest in the nation in terms of age and the older ones are "dying off". Bush lost PA in 2004 and McCain had an even bigger loss in 2008. Not only are younger voters on PA highly Democrat, but the suburbs and exhurbs have now changed to Democrat as the central city inhabitants move outward. In the Specter/Toomey race, it won't be any closer than a 57/43 Specter win by my calculations. Political operatives will tell you the same thing. Furthermore, you'll see Specter being careful NOT to change his positions. Watch and see....

Bling Bling| 4.28.09 @ 6:39PM

Well, unfortunately, the Republican Party for me as become synonymous for white affirmative action and white supremacy.

As an Asian American who believes in fiscal conservatism and meritocracy, I can no longer trust my fellow White Americans for their behavior in recent years along with the last president who was a white affirmative action beneficiary in the first place.

Republicans are in trouble. Unless the expel these white lunatic wackos from its party ranks it may never recover with any of us minority professionals.

I also question the achievements of many of these people because I wonder if many of them benefited from white affirmative action.