Welcome to the Dems-Arlen Spector

[Zulu Warrior]

http://www.thestate.com/nationalpoli...ry/766672.html

Looks like conservatism is having a bad day....

[Johnlodge]

Didn't he kill his wife and start the trend of over-producing music? Oh, wait that's the other guy.

[sarge]

Well, I guess I can't use him as an example of a repug who is not crazy anymore. Welcome, Arlen!

[ccbatson]

He has been a known RINO for a while...better to have honest members. He will probably do more good for Republicans as a foil in the Democrat party anyway. Besides, a converted Democrat, losing in the polls for the Republican primary as an incumbent is a long shot for re election.

[Johnlodge]

He has been a known RINO for a while...better to have honest members. He will probably do more good for Republicans as a foil in the Democrat party anyway. Besides, a converted Democrat, losing in the polls for the Republican primary as an incumbent is a long shot for re election.

[Eastburn]

I've always wondered how honest it is for a politician elected as a member of one party to switch sides mid-stream. Seems if the voters wanted a Democrat [[or Republican, for that matter) they'd have elected one. Strikes me that the honorable thing to do is announce they're switching parties for the next election but dance with them that brung ya for thew current term.

[Glowblue]

He has been a known RINO for a while...better to have honest members. He will probably do more good for Republicans as a foil in the Democrat party anyway. Besides, a converted Democrat, losing in the polls for the Republican primary as an incumbent is a long shot for re election.

Not really. PA is a heavily Democratic state, so Specter flipping greatly increases his chances of re-election. Especially if the Republicans put up a right-wing nutjob like Toomey.

[oladub]

Voted for Bush's Wall Street bailout. Voted for Porkulus. Guess Senator Spector is a big spending, big government/Goldman Sachs kind of guy. Now, maybe, he will be better able to represent his corporate friends on the other side of the aisle.

Top 5 Contributors, 2003-2008, Campaign Cmte
ContributorTotal
Blank Rome LLP$235,450
Comcast Corp$111,100
UPMC Health System$100,750
GOLDMAN SACHS$99,100
Kline & Specter$88,650

Top 5 Industries, 2003-2008, Campaign Cmte
IndustryTotal
Lawyers/Law Firms$2,558,680
Securities & Investment$927,899
Retired$860,345
Real Estate$812,666
Lobbyists$724,737

http://www.opensecrets.org/politicia...n00001604#cont

[firstandten]

Not really. PA is a heavily Democratic state, so Specter flipping greatly increases his chances of re-election. Especially if the Republicans put up a right-wing nutjob like Toomey.

Spector felt he put too much time and effort as a senator to go down in the republican primary to a right winger only to have that person lose to the democrat in the general election. He was also upset with his parties position on stem cell research which is close to his heart.

[MCP-001]

I'm sorry, this is news why?

[ccbatson]

It confirms the long suspected RINO status of the guy...not really news.

[Lowell]

Now that Rush and Hannity are the de facto leaders of the party, look for more defections. The lunatic fringe is holding sway over the party and no reasonable Rep., and there are many, can feel safe in a primary election. Extremists will win the low turnout primaries and lose in the general.

This is kind of like when Feiger won the Dem primary. The shoe is on the other foot now.

[gazhekwe]

I heard Mitch McConnell hoping that the majority won't run roughshod over the minority. Hello? Doesn't he remember the last four years of the Clinton administration and the first six years of the Bush administration? How come it's OK if his party does it?

[Gistok]

There was one US Democratic Senator who did a party switch to Republican... but he did it in a rather sleazy way... he switched after the election, and after the Democrats lost control of congress in 1994....

Who was this sleazeball??

Why none other than Michigan's least favorite politician... Alabama's Richard Selby!!