At age 79, Mr. Specter is the longest serving U.S. senator in Pennsylvania history. He had switched parties once before, in the mid-1960s when running for district attorney in Philadelphia. During his three decades in Washington, Mr. Specter has walked a fine line, finding ways of getting support from both organized labor and the Chamber of Commerce, for instance.[...]
“It was the one thing he could do to be best assured his re-election,” said Clay Richards, assistant director of the Quinnipiac Polling Institute and an expert on Pennsylvania politics. “He would almost certainly have lost in a Republican primary to Pat Toomey, whom he beat by only two points in a primary the last time that he ran for re-election in 2004.
"I am not prepared to have my 29 years' record in the United States Senate decided by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate."[...]
Specter said he told Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell several months ago that he wouldn't need his help when the Democratic governor offered to help him raise money if he switched parties.
"I changed my mind about that."
"Sen. Specter and I have had a long dialogue about his place in an evolving Republican party," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said in a written statement."We have not always agreed on every issue, but (he) has shown a willingness to work in a bipartisan manner, put people over party, and do what is right for Pennsylvanians and all Americans."
Reid called Specter a "man of honor and integrity" who would be welcome in the Democratic caucus.
"My change in party affiliation does not mean that I will be a party-line voter any more for the Democrats that I have been for the Republicans," he said in his statement. "Unlike Senator Jeffords' switch which changed party control, I will not be an automatic 60th vote for cloture. For example, my position on Employees Free Choice (Card Check) will not change."
Asked if the president would aid the Pennsylvania Republican-turned-Democrat's primary efforts, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs replied: "If the president is asked to raise money for Senator Specter, he will happily do it. If the president is asked to campaign for Senator Specter, he will be happy to do that as well."
Sheesh.
....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.
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