It's official: Arlen Specter has a serious Democratic primary challenger
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Part 1 of Joe Sestak's announcement. (Here is Part 2.)
The announcement was expected, but finally it's official: Rep. Joe Sestak will take on Arlen Specter in the Pennsylvania Democratic Senate primary. Here's what he had to say on OpenLeft.
It's Official!
by: Joe Sestak
Tue Aug 04, 2009 at 14:12
It's Official! I'm running to restore accountable leadership to Washington.
This this morning, I was honored to stand in the VFW Hall where I am a member and address an overflowing room of enthusiastic supporters to announce my candidacy to be the next United States Senator from Pennsylvania.
I can't tell you how energized I am after seeing all of those people come together, veterans and teachers, laborers and doctors, students and seniors. They all made the early morning trip out to Folsom, and were joined by thousands watching live online, because they know that we must work together to restore the promise of the American Dream.
The American Dream is a great compact between generations - a promise that we will all pass down a better world than the one we inherited. Now, it has been lost for the first time in our history, because too many of those sent to Washington to represent you, the people, have instead acted on behalf of the powerful and well-connected.
This campaign is not about me. It's about all of us, and we are going to need your help to win. We have an opportunity -- if we act with resolve - to put college back in reach for our children, to demand transparency and accountability from our financial system, and provide quality and affordable health care to everyone. We can be a world leader again, working toward peace or putting American ingenuity on the front line against global climate change.
To succeed, we must remain committed to our principles and let the politics take care of itself. For too long, people in powerful positions have failed to remember that the American Dream has never been about a few people getting ahead, or about protecting those in power -- it is about everyone having an opportunity to do well, and creating a better world to pass down to the next generation.
I am already on the road and over the next two days will take this message to Pittsburgh and Johnstown, Harrisburg and Scranton, and finally on to the most daunting event of all -- a featured appearance on the Colbert Report Wednesday night. You can support this message by making a contribution. In addition to our principles, we need every dollar to help restore the American Dream!
UPDATE BY HOWIE:
Why Sestak Instead Of Specter
Blue America supported Joe Sestak when he ran for Congress and beat Curt Weldon. Since then we haven't agreed with him about every single vote. Unlike many other candidates, though, Joe has never-- not once-- shied away from discussion and consultation. He's consistently been one of the most open members of Congress with our community. His instincts are great and there are few members of Congress I respect more, even members with whom we agree on a more regular basis.
Meanwhile, Arlen Specter has always been-- as a Republican and now as a "Democrat"-- one of the most corrupt members of the Senate. He's taken more thinly disguised bribes than any other senator who hasn't run for president from lobbyists, the sleaziest segment of our political system. And whenever there is a hot debate with elites and status quo special interests desperate to hold the aspirations of regular American working families at bay, they always turn to Arlen Specter... with their check books. Specter is always on the top of every list of senators who gets the big bucks from corporate interests. Examples:
Finance/Insurance/Real Estate Sector- $5,879,085
Medical Industrial Complex- $4,074,683
Energy & Natural Resources Sector- $1,328,280
Senate Guru analyzes the finances and polling and feels that Specter is going to lose. And speaking of finances and Snarlin' Arlen losing, please consider a donation-- even a small one-- to Joe Sestak, which you can do right here through our ActBlue page.
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Labels: Arlen Specter, Joe Sestak, Pennsylvania, Senate 2010
posted by KenInNY @ 1:30 PM
4 comments
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4 Comments:
It's going to take some effort to beat Snarlin' Arlen, Ken. Sestak also has the entire Democratic apparatus to fight, along with all that Soft Money can buy. Plus Rahm's folks will be whispering in Pennsylvanian ears that only Arlen can beat Toomey. Conveniently leaving out that until Sestak appeared on the scene, Arlen was perfectly willing to vote like a Republican. And undoubtedly will, again, as soon as he can get past the primaries--because with him, it's all about keeping the power. And whatever it takes to do that, regardless of how badly it affects his supposed constituents.
I agree absolutely, B, point for point, which is one reason I let the Sestak statement stand by itself, without getting into the practical politics of it. I figured the guy's entitled to one day of grace.
That said, everything I'm seeing and hearing says that Sestak has a better shot at Arlen than I would have thought possible back when Arlen made his dramatic party switch and the entire Democratic establishment lined up behind him.
We're seeing a lot of evidence that the entire Democratic establishment isn't necessarily perfectly in tune with the feelings of the voters, even Pennsylvania Democratic primary voters. You'd figure that Governor Rendell knows those primary voters if anybody does, but these days I'm not so sure.
Of course all those Dem power brokers will see to it that Arlen has all the money he can spend. If the Sestak campaign finds a way to put together a message that inspires both donors and voters -- and it looks like they may have to be the same people! -- it could get, well, interesting.
Ken
I am highly supportive of Sestak, as a former Pennsylvanian. 1) He supports the working person; 2) He's consistenly been a Democrat, and supported Obama in the last election (Specter supported McCain and Palin); and 3) and most of all... wouldn't Democrats actually want a Democrat in their primary instead of a Joe Lieberman-type who is actually a Republican?
Supporting Specter means Pennsylvanians will have to be choosing between 2 Republicans for Senator, not a Democrat and a Republican.
Rendell is also the one who turned out all of the powers that be for Clinton, who he was sure would win Pennsylvania in both the primary and the general elections.
It's unfortunate (and Hillary was not a bad choice - but Obama was a once-in-a-lifetime choice), that the PA Dems consistenly misread their consituents.
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