Democrats overwhelmingly endorse Specter
Colby Itkowitz and John Micek
Allentown Morning Call
Feb 8, 2010
If there was any doubt about how Pennsylvania Democrats felt about having a onetime Republican in their ranks, it was seemingly erased Saturday when the Democratic State Committee overwhelmingly endorsed U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter's re-election bid.
Specter defeated U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak, D-7th, who promised to push on to a spring primary. The winner likely will face Republican Pat Toomey in November.
State Democrats picked Specter over Sestak 229 to 72 with five abstentions, an impressive 77 percent for a candidate who for more than three decades was known to those in the room as the enemy -- a Republican.
The race for governor, however, remained as wide open as it was when Democratic activists braved howling winds and an epic snowfall to gather at the Lancaster Host Resort for their endorsement meeting. None of the five candidates garnered the two-thirds supermajority needed to secure the party's endorsement.
It was clear that the Senate endorsement was Saturday's main event. Once Specter's endorsement was sealed, the Democrats leapt to their feet, chanting, ''Arlen, Arlen, Arlen.''
''I have been involved in many many elections but never one quite as thrilling as this one,'' Specter said in an acceptance speech. ''I feel good about being a Democrat and being able to continue supporting those Democratic values.''
Specter watched the endorsement proceedings from the front row, clenching and unclenching his hands. Lehigh County's nine votes all went to him, as did Northampton's six.
Sestak sat in the back of the room and bolted as soon as the vote was final. Later he spun the results, saying it may be helpful not to have the endorsement.
''I was a little too independent for them,'' Sestak told reporters. ''What they haven't heard is the message from the voters across Pennsylvania. They are looking for independents; they are looking for somebody who is not just going to be part of the establishment.''
But a more sharply worded statement sent out by Sestak's campaign asserted that the decision to endorse Specter was a result of backroom deals made long before any votes were cast.
Specter dismissed the criticism.
''It's the same old sing-song that's been disproved,'' Specter said. ''This party is grass-roots. These are not insiders. These people don't come from the Beltway, they come from the heartland of Pennsylvania.''
Specter now has the full weight of the White House and the state Democrats behind him.
Read the full story at the Allentown Morning Call.
