Now I've Seen Everything.

[darsynia]

Arlen Specter is switching teams, ya'all.

Quote for the link-phobic:

Reporting from Washington -- Republican Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania announced today that he is switching parties and plans to seek reelection next year as a Democrat, in the meantime likely handing the Democrats a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate.

Specter's switch could hand the Democrats a 60-seat advantage in the Senate, provided that Democrat Al Franken of Minnesota prevails in his court fight for a long-contested Senate seat there. However, Specter said today that he will not become an "automatic" 60th vote to close debates in the Senate. LATimes.com

It'll be interesting to see the fallout from this. I voted for him, mostly because he came to my college and did a Q&A and I was very impressed with his answers, which weren't ducking, weren't party line regurgitation, and he seemed pretty intelligent and caring about the people. Of course, he was elected to public office a year after I was born, so that could be practice, as well. I honestly don't know how I feel about this (except for finding it very interesting that Pennsylvania as a state tends to vote candidate, rather than party, and many found it odd that we voted for a Democrat president (Kerry, in 2004) and a Republican senator (Specter, in 2004).

Some 'local' news to add to this is the fact that Pat Toomey, who ran against Specter in 2004 in the Republican primary (and nearly won) had announced his candidacy late last week for the Republican senate nomination.

Comments

[ladycat777.livejournal.com]

I am so boggled by this. I honestly never thought he'd do it, that he'd go Independent first because he has always been a true, dyed in the wool republican. The party has gallavanted off to wide red yonders, of course, but he's been remarkably consistent.

(some of those consistencies drive me *crazy*, but they're on the rarer side of the spectrum).

I am so glad that this basically nullifies Toomey. He's Santorum Redux waiting to happen.

[heather.livejournal.com]

LOVING. IT.

*bounces around*

[velvetwhip.livejournal.com]

That's quite a stunner.


Gabrielle

[kashmir1.livejournal.com]

I literally just made this face: O_O !!!

[thegrrrl2002.livejournal.com]

Wow, I didn't think he'd do it. Interesting!

[vida-boheme.livejournal.com]

"Arlen Specter is switching teams, ya'all."

Yeah, my brain went to a totally different place...

[cassildra.livejournal.com]

My father, who hated Specter in the first place, is going to SHIT a BRICK. *gleeful*

Haha, this is what you get for voting straight ticket, stupid Republican jerk!

...ahem. I do like Specter, regardless of what party he's professing loyalty to. I disagree with him on some things, of course--I don't think I agree with ANYONE entirely, when it comes to politics!--but this is a win-win situation, I think.