Video: Sestak seriously considering primary challenge to Specter
posted at 2:14 pm on May 11, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Well, why not? The Senate Democratic Caucus did everything but buy billboards in Pennsylvania to send a welcome message to Rep. Joe Sestak for a challenge to their newest, bestest Democratic buddy, the really junior Senator Arlen Specter (R D-PA). As Brian Faughnan notes, Sestak seems to have his game plan well designed to run to Specter’s left:
Money quote:
I was just taken by a Washington DC political establishment — Democrat — that reached over to the Republican establishment for someone who had been there 50 years and said, “Pennsylvania, here’s your future.” That’s not their decision.
No matter which side you’re on, that’s a great line, and one Sestak will use to great effect. Well played, sir.
Here’s the problem for Democrats. If Sestak gears up for a run at the Senate, his Congressional seat will likely go up for grabs, and Democrats only won that one back in 2006. He may wind up damaging Specter but not beating him and giving up the seat to the GOP. If he runs for both simultaneously in the primaries, he will have to hit Specter from the left while campaigning for re-election in his center-right Congressional district, which will also give the GOP some openings. It puts both seats at risk, but apparently the Democratic caucus will chance it to get rid of Snarlin’ Arlen.
Blowback
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*snicker*…sometimes the back-stabber get’s stabbed in the back too.
AUINSC on May 11, 2009 at 2:17 PM
Dems: Welcome, Arlen, thanks for screwing the Republicans, now get the hell out.
SKYFOX on May 11, 2009 at 2:20 PM
heh, no one’s darlin’.
maverick muse on May 11, 2009 at 2:21 PM
Ed, shhh.
maverick muse on May 11, 2009 at 2:21 PM
Just a thought: Is PA one of those states where the governor appoints seat fillers for sudden vacancies? May not bode well for Specter’s “health”.
SKYFOX on May 11, 2009 at 2:24 PM
Hmmmm, what’s that smell?
Oh yeah…… Specter’s goose is cooked.
UltimateBob on May 11, 2009 at 2:26 PM
It is this thought process that is making Mark Kirk (R) Illinois have reservations about running for Obama’s vacated Senate seat. With all the crud going on here in IL, a Republican should have a better than 50/50 chance of winning.
WashJeff on May 11, 2009 at 2:28 PM
He has my vote!
Buh bye Arlen
Anyway you can take the McCain’s with you?
400lb Gorilla on May 11, 2009 at 2:28 PM
Couldn’t happen to a better guy
Rogue on May 11, 2009 at 2:30 PM
Why is it legal for a guy to run for 2 seats at once?
lorien1973 on May 11, 2009 at 2:34 PM
Our GOP candidate will need all of the help from the RNC he can get. Ridge wanted to pre-empt Toomey, and use the good ol’ boys to make it happen until he was talked out of sabotaging the GOP unity. Whatever the NEW GOP, right now we have a good listener who neither folds under pressure nor brow beats with self righteousness.
As per campaign finance for the seat, I’m dragging Michael Steele into this conversation. In the headline article, Jay Cost demands Steele abandon his seat for speaking his mind. In Steele’s defense, he was responding to a specific caller who was abandoning the GOP for x,y,z sour grapes rationale, and Steele clarifying why such reasons are sour grapes at this point of getting our act together. Jay Cost admits that what Steele had to say is not going to hurt the GOP. But Mr. Cost wants an oatmeal RNC Chairman, claiming that everyone knows that Grampa’s Oatmeal is just what we need to combat the DNC right now. Actually, having someone able to counter Mr. Yeehaw DNC loudmouth lime is a great situation to enjoy for what it’s worth.
Mr. Steele has the monumental task of gathering all of the forces. When mutiny begins over spilt milk, I’m glad for the party’s jolt back to reality.
What people make of what Mr. Steele said will prove their own ineptitude if they take offense with a simple, rational argument that Mr. Steele did not create but is charged with solving. AS IF dumping on Steele is going to make everyone in the GOP live happily ever after, united forever in peace and magnanimous prosperity.
Proving that we ARE the tolerant, that we DO discuss things rationally is what joining forces is all about in alliance to support the Constitution from further erosion, specifically by retaining its authority over all other legislation or executive order dismantling Constitutional Government in America.
maverick muse on May 11, 2009 at 2:43 PM
I wanna send this dude a check!
gridlock2 on May 11, 2009 at 2:46 PM
Am I the only one that thinks of the Land Of The Lost TV show when I see this guy’s name?
Mark1971 on May 11, 2009 at 2:59 PM
Iblis on May 11, 2009 at 3:06 PM
Whoa, sorry about the strikethrough. Meant to hit endquote.
Iblis on May 11, 2009 at 3:09 PM
I always thought Spector was a snake.
It’s rather fun to watch him destroy his reputation entirely in the end.
AnninCA on May 11, 2009 at 3:12 PM
Sestak’s a Stalking Horse for Rendell. They both know the score and both know Sestak is too junior to get much traction in a state like Pennsylvania. Rendell already has name recognition, his bank of spoils is pretty full so he has LOTS of markers to call in.
SnarlinWhimpering Arlen is toast and he knows it. A toothless lioness is what Specter has become.SeniorD on May 11, 2009 at 3:14 PM
You’re not the only one. I’m afraid that Specter will put the two red crystals from the pylons together and scare this guy off.
ScottMcC on May 11, 2009 at 3:21 PM
Karma’s a b*tch, isn’t it, Arlen?
Enjoy reaping what you’ve sown, loser.
AZCoyote on May 11, 2009 at 3:24 PM
I’m voting for lizard people.
forest on May 11, 2009 at 3:59 PM
I wish the dems and Benedict Arlen well. They make such a
greasynice couple. I hope no one wants anything really, really, really bad to happen to them.Squiggy on May 11, 2009 at 4:11 PM
Just GOTTA learn how to spell Sheydenfroyd!!!
I may be using it often this season.
fred5678 on May 11, 2009 at 4:12 PM
Be careful what you wish for. Sestak is much worse than Specter. He’s a former Clinton-era Admiral and not a good guy.
If he wins the dem primary, he has a pretty decent shot of becoming a US Senator.
funky chicken on May 11, 2009 at 4:52 PM
Fasten your seatbelts it’s gonna be a bumpy ride.
Love it.
Arlen must be poopin his pants.
faol on May 11, 2009 at 4:57 PM
schadenfreude. But for this situation, I like Moe Lane’s term – specterfreude
Ooh, does it seem the Democrats are pushing an overreach here?
I keep thinking “a bird in the hand…” and “The Perfect is the Enemy of the Good.” Didn’t they learn with the Lieberman spectacle? For the record, I know that situation can’t be replicated here, they have a “sore loser” law in PA. It just makes it sooo much more sweet when they lose both the district and the Senate seat.
Also, with all this “GOP must move to the center to survive” talk coming from the liberals, why is it they insist themselves on running a hard core lefty to push out their own “moderates” from their party? Especially if the don’t toe the “party line” as espoused by moveon, Kos, Media Matters, MSNBC, et al? Could it be they’re NOT the smiley, happy family they try to tell us they are? Is it another case of projection?
JeffWeimer on May 11, 2009 at 5:03 PM
Sestak seems to be rather selfish in thinking he can run in the Democratic primaries for both his House seat and the PA Senate seat. If he lost the Senate primary to Specter, and won the House primary, he could then run for his House seat against the GOP primary winner.
But if Sestak wins both primaries, what would he do then? He cannot legally run for both the Senate and the House, and would have to choose. Since a Senate seat is a bigger prize, he would probably run for it, but this would concede the House seat to the Republicans, because according to PA law, a primary loser is OUT and can’t run as an Independent.
If Sestak takes out Specter in the Dem primary by running hard left, this could set up an interesting race with Toomey, unless Tom Ridge decided to get into the race.
Steve Z on May 11, 2009 at 5:27 PM
This stinks of irony.
thmsmgnm on May 11, 2009 at 6:17 PM
The dems are willing to go for the win in the Senate and take Specter’s seat even if it means they lose a House Seat. They have a big enough majority in the House to afford to lose one to get rid of Specter while keeping his seat in dems hands.
Dollayo on May 11, 2009 at 6:29 PM
Operation Chaos.
RobCon on May 11, 2009 at 7:56 PM
For some reason these things never work to our advantage. I hope you are right, but considering that we are talking about racist Pennsyvania …
DannoJyd on May 11, 2009 at 10:55 PM