Specter Enjoys 20-Point Lead Over Toomey

Meet the man who beat Arlen Specter

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama was lined up against Joe Sestak until Tuesday, as was much of the Democratic establishment, but, well, that was Tuesday and this is now. The president called the Pennsylvania rep yesterday to congratulate him on beating Arlen Specter, and promised him his full support—including campaigning on his behalf. This from a guy who, Sestak reveals to the New York Times , offered him a high-ranking job last year to dissuade him from running against Specter. More»

He's a man of two parties amid anti-incumbent fever

(NEWSER) - Arlen Specter is in a dogfight to keep his Senate seat—the latest poll has fellow Democrat Joe Sestak up 9 points, notes USA Today —and no wonder. The Republican-turned-Democrat looks "like an incumbent of two parties in a year when it’s better to be an incumbent of none," writes Margaret Carlson. More»

Says it's a ploy by rival Marco Rubio

(NEWSER) - The merry-go-round of accusations continues in the Senate race in Florida between Republican Gov. Charlie Crist and his more-conservative rival, Marco Rubio. In the latest, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel is reporting that Crist is ready to ditch the GOP to run as an independent. A Crist spokesman immediately denounced it as a fake story planted by the Rubio camp as retaliation and an attempt to "distract voters," notes Talking Points Memo . More»

Perry and KBH face off; Tea Party mounts challenge in Fla.

(NEWSER) - The 2010 primaries will see the GOP repairing its identity and soul-searching among Democrats. The 10 most important races, according to Chris Cillizza of the Washington Post :

1. Texas governor, R: Rick Perry is running for an unprecedented third term, and voters seem to approve. But Kay Bailey Hutchison is a popular, crafty, and well-funded opponent.
2. Florida Senate, R: The looming battle between Gov. Charlie Crist and former state House Speaker Marco Rubio is being closely watched as a bellwether of the rift between GOP moderates and the insurgent Tea Party movement.

Specter accuses Grassley of spreading false info

(NEWSER) - Arlen Specter and Chuck Grassley engaged in a very 21st-century sniping match today, ABC's Jake Tapper reports. The 79-year-old Pennsylvania Democrat took to Twitter to accuse the 75-year-old Iowa Republican of spreading "myths about health care reform and imaginary ‘death panels.' " He was referring to comments Grassley made at a forum this week in Iowa. We "should not have a government run plan to decide when to pull the plug on grandma," Grassley said. More»