Changes

'''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.

'''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.  Now that [[Al Franken]] has been declared the victor in the Minnesota Senate race, Specter's vote provides the crucial 60th vote needed for Democrats if both left-leaning independents decide to stop GOP [[filibusters]].

Before defecting to the [[Democratic Party]] (see below), Senator Specter was a moderate [[Republican]], disagreeing with the [[George W. Bush|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 was switching to the Democratic party.  Now that [[Al Franken]] has been declared the victor in the Minnesota Senate race, Specter's vote provides the crucial 60th vote needed for the Democrats if both left-leaning independents decide to stop GOP [[filibusters]].

He is a [[United States Air Force|U.S. Air Force]] veteran, serving within the U.S. as an officer within the Air Force Office of Special Investigations during the [[Korean War]].

He is a [[United States Air Force|U.S. Air Force]] veteran, serving within the U.S. as an officer within the Air Force Office of Special Investigations during the [[Korean War]].

==Political Career==  

==Political Career==  

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 was formally Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and was a senior member of the Appropriations and Veterans Affairs committees. However, after defecting from the Republican Party and joining the Democrat caucus, Specter lost all of his seniority. Specter went from serving as the most powerful Republican on the Judiciary Committee to the lowest ranking Democrat in four out of his five committee assignments. <ref>http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/arlen_specter_stripped/2009/05/06/211368.html</ref>  

Specter's first foray into politics was his election as [[Philadelphis]]'s District Attorney 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 was formerly Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, and was a senior member of the Appropriations and Veterans Affairs committees. However, after defecting from the Republican Party and joining the Democrat caucus, Specter lost all of his seniority. Specter went from serving as the most powerful Republican on the Judiciary Committee to the lowest-ranking Democrat in four out of his five committee assignments. <ref>http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/arlen_specter_stripped/2009/05/06/211368.html</ref>  

Arlen Specter made an unsuccessful run for the presidency in 1996 and ended up supporting Republican nominee [[Robert Dole]].

Arlen Specter made an unsuccessful run for the presidency in 1996 and ended up supporting Republican nominee [[Robert Dole]].