Specter Defects From GOP

Chris Cilliza, at The Fix, has the story. Arlen Specter just announced that he is switching his party affiliation and will run in 2010 as the Democratic candidate. Specter was facing a stiff challenge from his party’s right, from former conservative representative, Pat Toomey. Toomey was leading Specter among Pennsylvania Republicans by 10 points in early polls. Adding to the precariousness of Specter’s political prospects is the fact that Pennsylvania has become a Democratic leaning state over the last several political cycles. Specter, a long time pro-choice moderate, has been increasingly marginalized as the Republican Party has drifted ever rightward, and this year he was one of three senators who broke with his party’s leadership to vote in favor of President Obama’s $787 billion bailout. Toomey used the right’s dissatisfaction with that vote to launch his challenge to Specter.

Specter issued the following statement

"I have decided to run for re-election in 2010 in the Democratic primary. I am ready, willing and anxious to take on all comers and have my candidacy for re-election determined in a general election."

He added: "Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right. Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats. I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans."

President Obama, who was informed of Specter's decision at 10:25, immediately expressed his support for Specter and said "we are thrilled to have you."

The other obvious fallout from Specter’s defecting to the Democrats is that they are fast approaching a filibuster proof majority in the Senate. Once Al Franken is seated, they will have the 60 seats necessary to invoke cloture.