Pennsylvania Democratic Party lines up behind Specter
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/12/18/art.getty.arlen.specter.jpg caption="Pennsylvania Democratic Party lines up behind Specter."]
Washington (CNN) - Though he was a Republican for 44 years before switching parties last April, Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter scored a big political win over the weekend by securing the backing of the state Democratic Party.
At a meeting of the state party executive committee in Lancaster on Saturday, Specter won an impressive 77 percent of the committee vote.
The endorsement is a symbolic victory for Specter in his Democratic primary battle against Rep. Joe Sestak – the former Navy admiral running to Specter's left – and will help protect Specter from critics who have questioned his commitment to the party.
Specter and Sestak will face off in a May 18 primary; the winner will likely face Republican Pat Toomey in the general election.
Justice will be served when he is defeated by the voters that see him for what he is and not for what he promised to be.
Well they're backing a loser then. Even had Specter remained in office as a Republican this guy needed to be booted out of office once and for all.
Spector has made a buffon of himself on several levels. It's time for him to go.
Do they have a choice? I am sure Obama and Rahm got in there and said it was payback time for his switch and they had to suck it up and support him as "one for the team".
We all hope that Specter does not have to taste a specter of defeat.
This endorsement won't do jack because every intelligent Pennsylvanian knows the party struck a deal with Spector to switch, and this is just upholding the deal. Toomey is going to crush this pruneface traitor come November. Pennsylvanians don't want some guy who will go any way the wind blows like Spector.
I like Sestak over Specter, but they both are too centrist.
Dont forget how to shut out the light behind you Arlen.
Specter looks like he just came out of the john after his first successful movement in 3 weeks.
Bran muffins, Arlen... bran muffins.
Sorta like criminals keeping criminals in power?
Just goes to show you Democrats are losers to support this character.
Specter vs Sestak sounds like an episode of Land of the Lost.
Specter is a very good reason we should have term limits..................
After January 19th Massachusetts, it seems we are seeing a decided scramble to the right. That's called survival for politicians who like getting voted for.
All the political backing in the world won't help Benedict Arlen - he's going to lose big time!
The people of PA are fed up with Washington elites, and we're throwing the bums out in November.
Big deal! They endorsed Specter over a guy who is even farther left than he is and who was 20 points behind him in the polls. Only problem now is that the Republican, Toomey, is leading Specter in the polls by 10 to 15 percent. I don't think the state Democrat leaders can endorse that away.
Specter is done. Polls are all showing Toomey beating Specter in November. The Democrats may want him but it appears the people of Penn. do not.
Wonderful news. Then we can get rid of this bloviating idiot.
Hope he loses. I am for term limits. Enough of these lifers and their exorbitant benefits.
Logic says the party backs the incumbant. Senator Specter is that man.
The Dems are running out of hope every where, Specter is done.
2010/2012 REAL Change is coming
Arlen Specter and Joe Lieberman, co-joined twins separated at birth? I guess hypocrisy is a genetically inherited trait after all.
He is what the Democratic party should be. Liberal enough, smart and experienced. If he ran the government over the past 20 years we would be in far better shape.
If Rep. Joe Sestak wants to win against Sen. Arlen Specter all Sen. Sestak has to do is hope and pray that Obama will campaign for Sen. Arlen Specter.
Looks like the Pennsylvania Democrats want to return the seat to the Republicans. Specter is now HATED in Pennsylvania and there is no way he will win the general election even though Toomy is a hard right winger.
Come on Senator, do the right thing, retire with dignity.