Spring Break
Specter joins Democrats, cites election concerns
Naomi Parikh
Issue date: 5/1/09 Section: News
Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) left the Republican Party April 28 to join the Democrats.
"The disappointment runs in both directions," Specter said at a news conference. "I'm putting principle at the top of the list."
Specter's switch gives Democrats 59 seats in the Senate, making the party one seat, and one vote, away from having a filibuster-proof 60 seats. If Al Franken wins the disputed Minnesota elections, the Democrats will have a majority in the Senate.
Mike Hess, chairman of the Drexel University College Republicans, said the group did not support Specter's choice.
"[We] are extremely disappointed with Senator Specter's decision to abandon the Republican Party largely because he feared losing in the primary to Pat Toomey, who we will most likely be supporting for senator in 2010," Hess said.
Hess also said the College Republicans think a balance of power is necessary and that neither party should have a 60-seat majority.
"That is something that we still believe, even if Sen. Specter, apparently, no longer does," Hess said.
Giancarlo Stefanoni, president of the Drexel Democrats, said he was disappointed that Specter's decision was for mainly political reasons.
"It's obvious Specter was likely to lose the Republican primary, so he took an easy way out," Stefanoni, a sophomore political science major, said.
However, Stefanoni said Specter's decision would help further President Barack Obama's agenda, because he will be more likely to vote with the Democrats on certain issues.
"Even if he won't vote with us on all issues, he won't have the Republicans pulling him away, either," Stefanoni said. "There's a lot Specter's voted on, when he was a Republican, that he hasn't been happy with."
Stefanoni also said Specter has a better chance at winning the Democratic primary, but said he would rather see a "true" Democrat, such as Joe Torsella, win instead.
"We have better options for the Democratic Party, that are better off with our progressive ideas," Stefanoni said.
According to CNN, Specter said his willingness to vote for Obama's stimulus package caused a "schism" between him and the Republican Party. Obama called Specter the morning of the announcement and said he was "thrilled" to have him in the party.
The five-term senator Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will campaign for him in 2010, when he runs for re-election.
Michael Steele, Republican National Committee chairman, also released a written statement, and said he was unhappy about Specter's decision, which he said was not based on principle.
"He left to further his personal political interests because he knew that he was going to lose a Republican primary due to his left-wing voting record," Steele wrote.
Later, speaking live on CNN, Steele said Specter "flipped the bird" at Republicans who would have stood by him in the upcoming primaries.
"The disappointment runs in both directions," Specter said at a news conference. "I'm putting principle at the top of the list."
Specter's switch gives Democrats 59 seats in the Senate, making the party one seat, and one vote, away from having a filibuster-proof 60 seats. If Al Franken wins the disputed Minnesota elections, the Democrats will have a majority in the Senate.
Mike Hess, chairman of the Drexel University College Republicans, said the group did not support Specter's choice.
"[We] are extremely disappointed with Senator Specter's decision to abandon the Republican Party largely because he feared losing in the primary to Pat Toomey, who we will most likely be supporting for senator in 2010," Hess said.
Hess also said the College Republicans think a balance of power is necessary and that neither party should have a 60-seat majority.
"That is something that we still believe, even if Sen. Specter, apparently, no longer does," Hess said.
Giancarlo Stefanoni, president of the Drexel Democrats, said he was disappointed that Specter's decision was for mainly political reasons.
"It's obvious Specter was likely to lose the Republican primary, so he took an easy way out," Stefanoni, a sophomore political science major, said.
However, Stefanoni said Specter's decision would help further President Barack Obama's agenda, because he will be more likely to vote with the Democrats on certain issues.
"Even if he won't vote with us on all issues, he won't have the Republicans pulling him away, either," Stefanoni said. "There's a lot Specter's voted on, when he was a Republican, that he hasn't been happy with."
Stefanoni also said Specter has a better chance at winning the Democratic primary, but said he would rather see a "true" Democrat, such as Joe Torsella, win instead.
"We have better options for the Democratic Party, that are better off with our progressive ideas," Stefanoni said.
According to CNN, Specter said his willingness to vote for Obama's stimulus package caused a "schism" between him and the Republican Party. Obama called Specter the morning of the announcement and said he was "thrilled" to have him in the party.
The five-term senator Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will campaign for him in 2010, when he runs for re-election.
Michael Steele, Republican National Committee chairman, also released a written statement, and said he was unhappy about Specter's decision, which he said was not based on principle.
"He left to further his personal political interests because he knew that he was going to lose a Republican primary due to his left-wing voting record," Steele wrote.
Later, speaking live on CNN, Steele said Specter "flipped the bird" at Republicans who would have stood by him in the upcoming primaries.
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