Pennsylvania conservative Republicans can take part of the credit (or blame) for the likely passage of the health care reform bill.
Had they not been determined to defeat Sen. Arlen Specter in the 2010 primaries, he may not have bolted the party and thus may not have voted for cloture to halt filibusters and bring about a Senate vote.
Instead, Specter felt hounded out of his own party and sought shelter with the Democrats earlier this year. This made his vote for the current health bill a virtual certainty.
Furthermore, if Specter survives a primary challenge from Congressman Joe Sestak, he is likely to be re-elected next November, this time as a Democrat. (And if he loses, Sestak will likely win the general election.) If re-elected, Specter has been promised restitution to committee seniority, which would again make him one of the Senate’s most powerful lawmakers.
The Republicans may learn with Specter what the Democrats discovered with Senator Joe Lieberman: Middle of the road senators are hard to dislodge and they have long memories.
