Arlen Specter: Democrat

Arlen Specter has finally made it official.

He's now a Democrat.

Here's Specter's full statement.

Excerpt

I have been a Republican since 1966. I have been working extremely hard for the party, for its candidates and for the ideals of a Republican Party whose tent is big enough to welcome diverse points of view.

While I have been comfortable being a Republican, my party has not defined who I am. I have taken each issue one at a time and have exercised independent judgment to do what I thought was best for Pennsylvania and the nation.

Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right. Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats. I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans.

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 29-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.

Specter is pathetic.

He knows that he can't win the Republican primary. His challenger, Pat Toomey, is crushing him.

Apparently, organized labor was planning a $700,000 ad attacking him.

Specter has changed his party affiliation because he's desperately trying to salvage his political career. It's as simple as that.

Pathetic.

It will be interesting to see how Specter functions as a Dem.

If he thinks that Republican Party has become too far-Right, I wonder how he'll manage among the extremists of the Democrat Party.

I'm hearing some talking heads say that Specter jumping ship signals that the Republican Party is dying, with no room for moderates.

I didn't hear the lib media talk that way about the Dems when they forced Joe Lieberman out.

I see Specter's move as a positive sign for 2010. The Republican Party lost its way for a while. Now, it's in the process of reorganizing. The Paul Ryan Republicans are revitalizing the party and energizing a new generation of conservatives.
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On March 17, 2009, Specter pledged his allegiance to the Republican Party.

What a difference some polls make!


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Michael Steele comments on Specter.
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Flashback: Jack Cafferty calls Specter a "gutless Republican worm."