According to a poll conducted by the Center for Opinion Research at Franklin and Marshall College and reported in the Philadelphia Daily News, only 28 percent of all those surveyed say United States Senator Arlen Specter deserves re-election.
“Even more troubling for the senator is that the proportion of state residents who believe he deserves re-election has declined from 40 percent to 28 percent,” said the poll’s director, G. Terry Madonna.
Specter was first elected in 1980. He is the only United States Senator from Pennsylvania to be elected to five terms.
Faced with what seemed like almost certain defeat in the Republic primary in 2010, earlier this year Specter switched to the Democratic Party, in part relying on commitments from leadership that he would retain important committee positions and seniority.
Instead, the Democratic Senate Caucus made him the most junior Democrat in the Senate, thus stripping him of his power and prestige.
Specter’s career has had many ups and downs, with re-election at least twice in question despite weak and ill funded opponents.
His election in 1980 was an amazing political come back when, after years of bad political luck and losing campaigns, Specter caught a tremendous break when then Senator Richard Schweiker belatedly decided not to run and Specter was able to ride his comparative statewide name recognition into a narrow primary victory, despite the opposition of Republican party leadership. He then benefited from Ronald Reagan’s electoral victory as President.
Will Specter choose to run in the Democratic primary against formidable opponents, especially Congressman (and former Admiral) Joe Sestak? He has never backed off from a fight yet!
