Arlen Specter Switches Parties
Whoa.
He writes:
When I supported the stimulus package, I knew that it would not be popular with the Republican Party. But, I saw the stimulus as necessary to lessen the risk of a far more serious recession than we are now experiencing.
Since then, I have traveled the State, talked to Republican leaders and office-holders and my supporters and I have carefully examined public opinion. It has become clear to me that the stimulus vote caused a schism which makes our differences irreconcilable. On this state of the record, I am unwilling to have my twenty-nine year Senate record judged by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate. I have not represented the Republican Party. I have represented the people of Pennsylvania.
I have decided to run for re-election in 2010 in the Democratic primary.
Comments
Only fitting, since he started out as a Dem. Pat Toomey is toast.
Posted by: Eric McGhee | April 28, 2009 12:48 PM
Specter’s statement contains pretty much everything you need to know about the tension between parties and the people they put in office.
Posted by: Seth Masket | April 28, 2009 01:01 PM
You also couldn’t ask for a better example of how primary rules (closed, in this case) matter.
Posted by: John Sides | April 28, 2009 01:31 PM
Or for the proposition that party-switchers are a lagging, not a leading, indicator of partisan tides.
Posted by: Matt Jarvis | April 28, 2009 02:53 PM