Specter Looking For Solid Ground

[babylonsister]

Specter Looking For Solid Ground
In Pennsylvania, The Senator Is Caught Between A Lukewarm GOP And A Surging Democratic Party

by Amy Walter

Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2009


For all the talk these last few days about the "death" of post-partisanship, there could actually be a real-life political casualty tied to President Obama's Republican outreach: Sen. Arlen Specter. If he loses his primary to a more right-leaning opponent next year, it'll be harder than ever for Obama and congressional Democrats to convince even moderate Republicans of the benefits of bipartisanship.

In the Senate's stimulus battle this month, Specter crossed the aisle on 10 out of 23 party-line roll call votes -- third behind Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe -- and joined the two Maine moderates as the only three GOP votes for the finished package. That won him praise from Obama and liberal supporters of the stimulus, which is not a bad thing in a state as blue as Pennsylvania. But it's not a good thing in a GOP primary, especially in a state with a closed primary -- which means no crossover help from sympathetic Democrats -- and a shrinking base of registered Republicans.

Democratic voters outnumber Republicans in Pennsylvania by over 1.2 million. Just a couple years ago, the gap was less than half that (550,000). Just as the House GOP conference has become more conservative as its ranks have been winnowed, so too has the Republican voting population become more rightward-leaning as its membership has shrunk.

A poll taken by Muhlenberg College of 400 Pennsylvania voters who switched their party registration status from Republican to Democrat during 2007 and 2008 paints a pretty bleak picture for Specter. These voters are more likely to be well-educated, affluent and supportive of abortion rights: in other words, Specter voters.

more...

http://www.nationaljournal.com/njonline/ol_20090218_5074.php

[grannie4peace]

1. maybe he should run as a dem :)

[ThomWV]

4. Not that anybody from WV can talk, but maybe he should retire.

His health has not been good and he is not a young man.

[grannie4peace]

5. that is true-- but he seems to really want to stay in government.

maybe he's afraid for the future & thinks he's one of the few who can fix things.i sure wouldn't want to be in his shoes.

[samdogmom]

2. This is troubling! But...HELLO, Arlan!

What the heck? Earth to Arlan....We're just trying to clue you in on how out of touch with things you seem to be!

My question: If he loses the primary...why can't he pull a Lieberman and run as an independent? Just curious?

I'm still holding grudges against this man for many of his votes over the past eight years. I do not like this guy...but I'm sure he's far better than the wackos out to get him.

ME? Why do we care? Maybe a wacko will beat him in the primary and then a Democrat will win the seat. Who is running on Democratic side?

[wryter2000]

3. Oooh, what an awesome idea!

Run, Arlen, run. That would virtually guarantee a Dem in that seat.

[stray cat]

6. I like Specter and wish him many more years - I like having a job and he supports medical research

unlike many dems and repubs.

[T Wolf]

7. Even an idiot like Magic Bullet Boy is correct once a decade. And even though I work in medical

research, I want the fucker GONE! I want PA Dems to re-reg as pukes for his primary and vote for whatever Nazi whack-job goes up against the asshole. Then, we can add another Democratic senator.

Trying to save so-called moderate pukes is just another half-ass surrender tactic that should be tossed on the dungheap. I want a Democratic super-majority so that the pukes can be ignored while my party tries to save the nation.

Fuck Arlen and the assassination-team he rode in on.

[tabbycat31]

8. how about Commerce Secretary

he'd be better than Judd Gregg, and PA does have a Democratic governor.

Just thinking aloud here.

[gratuitous]

9. Don't expect any tears from me for Senator Grandstand

His protege Gordon Smith got his walking papers in 2008, and it wasn't in favor of a more hard-line Republican either. To assume that just because Specter loses his primary, if he loses his primary, that whatever sock puppet the Pennsylvania GOP chooses to supplant him will automatically win the general is just absurd.

And if the Republicans want to get even harder line and punish Specter, I really don't see how that becomes a concern for President Obama or congressional Democrats.

I decline to click on a National Journal link, so I will confine my comment to the excerpt posted: This is Grade A 100% bullshit eyewash. And for Republicans who think the Elephant should always fly above the Eagle, I say too bad so sad, and get the fuck out of my country, you goddam traitors.

I think I'm blocking. I wish I could say what I really feel about the GOP.

[damntexdem]

10. So elect enough dem senators that we don't need 'moderate' GOPs.

Think of how much better the stimulus package could have been with just two more dems seated.