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'''Arlen Specter''' is the senior [[United States]] Senator from [[Pennsylvania]]. He was first elected in 1980, and has been reelected five times since then. Senator Specter has been a moderate [[Republican]], disagreeing with the Bush Administration on numerous issues. He was one of three Republicans who supported Obama's stimulus bill in 2009.  Threatened with a [[conservative]] [[primary]] challenger for his seat in 2010, on April 28, 2009, he announced he will switch to the Democratic party, providing the 60th vote needed for Democrats to stop GOP [[filibusters]].

'''Arlen Specter''' is the Democratic senior [[United States]] Senator from [[Pennsylvania]]. He was first elected in 1980, and has been reelected five times since then. He has moderate to liberal viewpoints - particularly when it comes to economic and social issues. He supported Obama's massive stimulus bill in 2009. He also opposed trying to overturn Roe v. Wade.

 

Senator Specter has been a moderate [[Republican]], disagreeing with the Bush Administration on numerous issues. He was one of three Republicans who supported Obama's stimulus bill in 2009.  Threatened with a [[conservative]] [[primary]] challenger for his seat in 2010, on April 28, 2009, he announced he will switch to the Democratic party, providing the 60th vote needed for Democrats to stop GOP [[filibusters]].

He is a US Air Force veteran, serving during the [[Korean War]].

He is a US Air Force veteran, serving during the [[Korean War]].

==Political career==  

==Political career==  

Until then a Democrat, Specter was elected District Attorney in Philadelphia as a Republican in 1965. He mounted an unsuccessful campaign for mayor of Philadelphia in 1967 and was defeated for reelection to a third term as district attorney in 1973. He was defeated in the 1976 Republican Primary for U.S. Senate by John Heinz and in the 1978 primary for Governor of Pennsylvania by Dick Thornburgh. Arlen Specter was elected to the Senate in 1980 and is currently serving his fifth term. In 2005, Senator Specter became Pennsylvania's longest serving U.S. Senator. He is Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and a senior member of the Appropriations and Veterans Affairs committees. Specter also made an abortive bid for the Republican nomination in the 1996 presidential race, before withdrawing and endorsing future nominee [[Bob Dole]].

Specter first foray into politics was when he was elected District Attorney in Philadelphia in 1965. He mounted an unsuccessful campaign for mayor of Philadelphia in 1967 and was defeated for reelection to a third term as district attorney in 1973. He was defeated in the 1976 Republican Primary for U.S. Senate by John Heinz and in the 1978 primary for Governor of Pennsylvania by Dick Thornburgh. Arlen Specter was elected to the Senate in 1980 and is currently serving his fifth term. In 2005, Senator Specter became Pennsylvania's longest serving U.S. Senator. He is Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and a senior member of the Appropriations and Veterans Affairs committees. Specter also made an unsuccessful run for the presidency in 1996 and ended up supporting losing candidate [[Bob Dole]].

==Political views==

==Political views==

Specter's moderate views have affected his political career as a Republican. For example, his status as the Chairman of the [[Senate Judiciary Committee]] (a position he held from January, 2005 through January, 2007) was in question when he made comments hinting that he would oppose candidates who would overturn [[Roe v. Wade]]. In addition, in the 2004 Republican Senate Primary Election, he only received 51% of the vote when the conservative [[Patrick Toomey]] challenged him. However, in the 2004 General Election, he succeeded with ease, beating [[Joseph Hoeffel]] by nine percentage points, suggesting that the Pennsylvania electorate prefers moderate to conservative Republicans.  

Specter's moderate to liberal views have affected his political career as a Republican. Many considered him a RINO (Republican in Name Only) while he was in that party. For example, his status as the Chairman of the [[Senate Judiciary Committee]] (a position he held from January, 2005 through January, 2007) was in question when he made comments hinting that he would oppose candidates who would overturn [[Roe v. Wade]]. In addition, in the 2004 Republican Senate Primary Election, he only received 51% of the vote when the conservative [[Patrick Toomey]] challenged him.  

Arlen Specter was the only Republican in the Senate to vote for the [[Employee Free Choice Act]], <ref>http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jun/27/nation/na-union27</ref>, legislation supported by big labor that would eliminate a private-ballot vote over whether workers would [[union]]ize. Specter was also one of only three Republicans in the United State Congress to vote for the 2009 economic stimulus bill,  

Arlen Specter was the only Republican in the Senate to vote for the [[Employee Free Choice Act]], <ref>http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jun/27/nation/na-union27</ref>, legislation supported by big labor that would eliminate a private-ballot vote over whether workers would [[union]]ize. Specter was also one of only three Republicans in the United State Congress to vote for the 2009 economic stimulus bill,  

There are issues where Specter is considered [[conservative]]. In 2002, he voted to authorize the use of military force in [[Iraq]]. A native of [[Kansas]], Specter strongly supports [[Second Amendment]] rights and [[capital punishment]].

In the past, there were issues where Specter was considered marginally [[conservative]]. In 2002, he voted to authorize the use of military force in [[Iraq]], although many Democrats did so as well. A native of [[Kansas]], Specter supports [[Second Amendment]] rights and [[capital punishment]].

==Health Problems==  

==Health Problems==  

==2010 Reelection==

==2010 Reelection==

Specter won the 2004 Republican primary, which allows only registered Republicans to vote, by less than 2% against [[conservative]] challenger [[Pat Toomey]].  [[Rick Santorum]], himself a former Pennsylvania senator, described that "Specter's biggest problem ... may be that thousands of southeastern Pennsylvania Republicans who voted for him in 2004 can't vote for him in the (2010) primary. Why? Because they're no longer Republicans."  In fact, the number of registered Republicans in Pennsylvania decreased by 162,000 between 2004 and 2008.<ref>http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/americandebate/Arlen_Specter_tilting_rightward.html</ref>

Specter barely won the 2004 Republican primary, which allows only registered Republicans to vote, by less than 2% against [[conservative]] challenger [[Pat Toomey]].  [[Rick Santorum]], himself a former Pennsylvania senator, described that "Specter's biggest problem ... may be that thousands of southeastern Pennsylvania Republicans who voted for him in 2004 can't vote for him in the (2010) primary. Why? Because they're no longer Republicans."  In fact, the number of registered Republicans in Pennsylvania decreased by 162,000 between 2004 and 2008.<ref>http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/americandebate/Arlen_Specter_tilting_rightward.html</ref> This is one of the main reasons why Specter switched parties; to get re-elected in 2010, he needs to rely on his left-leaning supporters.

However, Specter's approval ratings remain high at 62%.

Specter's approval ratings remained high at 62% as of 2008.

==References==

==References==