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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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18

Facing Primary Battle, Specter Shifts Leftward

Has voted with Dems 97% of time since Sestak announced bid

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(Newser) – Since going blue, Arlen Specter voted with Democrats some two-thirds of the time on “Contentious Votes”—defined by Nate Silver of FiveThirtyEight.com as “anything that comes up for a floor vote and where the majority of each party splits their votes.” That is, up until Rep. Joe Sestak announced a primary challenge to the Pennsylvania senator May 27. Since then, Specter has voted with his new party 97% of the time.

“The real question is how Specter will behave if and when he wins the primary challenge, and the pressure from the left is off,” writes Silver. He “appears to be just as capable of reacting to pressure from his right as to his left.” In the first part of the year, the still-Republican Specter voted with Democrats some 58% of the time; then after a poll showed him 14 points behind GOP challenger Pat Toomey, he voted with Dems only 16% of the time.

Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter, D-Pa., addresses the Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee Meeting in Pittsburgh, Saturday, June 6, 2009.
Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter, D-Pa., addresses the Pennsylvania Democratic State Committee Meeting in Pittsburgh, Saturday, June 6, 2009.   (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
In this May 5, 2009 file photo, Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington.
In this May 5, 2009 file photo, Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington.   (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Senate Judiciary Committee member Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., questions Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, July 15, 2009.
Senate Judiciary Committee member Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., questions Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, July 15, 2009.   (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
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18 comments
VIEWING:
 
Fondue
Jul 26, 09 10:19 AM CDT
This is why we need government reform that does away with the partisan system. We need a system of representative government where universal and periodic elections take place without reference to political parties. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+1
IN RESPONSE:
Reader60610265
Jul 26, 09 10:34 AM CDT
your choice socialism or communism ?
Vote up! Vote down!
-4
IN RESPONSE:
NovThird2010
Jul 26, 09 11:24 AM CDT
@Reader60610265. I agree. Fondue doesn't know what he is asking for. He is an obambot with obamablinders on...there is no reasoning with him..
Vote up! Vote down!
-7
IN RESPONSE:
Fondue
Jul 26, 09 11:57 AM CDT
If you would take the time to look up what I said, you would understand that it is still a Republic. Many states use non-partisan democracy.
Vote up! Vote down!
+1
IN RESPONSE:
Fondue
Jul 26, 09 12:03 PM CDT
Reader, I think it's clear. I am just glad you see that there is a difference between Socialism and Communism. Whereas unfortunately folks like NObama think they are one in the same.
Vote up! Vote down!
+1

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