As a senator, Arlen Specter is no more, and will cease to be. Image from Wikimedia Commons.
The mid-term Pennsylvania election results in the primaries have been closely watched, especially the Arlen Specter election results. Arlen Specter, a longtime member of the Republican party, switched to being a Democrat in the last year. Some took it as a stab in the back, and others believed it was because Republicans had gotten too fanatical to keep moderates in the fold. It was also suggested he moved because he wasn’t likely to win another election to the U.S. Senate, which turned out to be true. Regardless of how much quick cash was donated, or how much he had in election coffers, it wasn’t enough.
Arlen Specter election results unseat him
There has been something of a wave of anti-establishment mentalities lately, and this translates to a lot of incumbent office holders getting shown the door. The Arlen Specter election results mean a victory for his challenger for the Democratic candidacy, Rep. Joe Sestak, and an end to more than 30 years in the Senate for Specter.
More elections to come
Right now, we’re only in primary season. Sestak, despite winning the Democratic primary, still has the final Pennsylvania election results to get through before he is installed as a senator. He still has to defeat the Republican candidate, Pat Toomey. According to CNN, there was some back and forth about whether anyone should actually challenge Specter, and Sestak decided he didn’t care and ran as the underdog anyway, and emerged victorious as the Democratic candidate.
Mid-term primaries: open season on incumbents
This year is tipped as open season on incumbents in primaries. Fewer people are satisfied with the job government is doing, and they want new blood. Other primary results show the same. In the Republican primary in Kentucky, Rand Paul, son of Texas Representative Ron Paul defeated Ted Grayson, the Kentucky Secretary of State. Grayson was endorsed by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, but that wasn’t enough to keep the progeny of the famous Libertarian off the ballot. In Arkansas, incumbent Senator Blanche Lincoln is in a fight with Lt. Gov. Bill Halter for the Democratic candidacy, and will have a second runoff election soon.
It looks like Specter shouldn't have taken Obama's side. Without choosing one party, I strictly feel that you are in the best interest to always keep with your party's plans if you are in a prominent political position. Or else, you could possibly end up like this, dropping your whole party's votes.