Arlen Specter is an institution in Pennsylvania politics who surmounted political attacks from both sides and mastered a gritty, take-no-prisoners campaign style that, in the past, guaranteed his success against even the toughest opponents.
But on Tuesday, Specter met his match. Himself.
Many factors led to his crippling Democratic primary loss to Joe Sestak. Some blame the rainy weather and the low voter turnout. Others credit a television commercial, run in the final weeks of the U.S. Senate campaign, showing footage of Specter saying he became a Democrat to get re-elected. Even more point to an anti-incumbent public sentiment sweeping the nation.
Specter’s downfall, despite 40 years of public service, seniority and statewide connections, was having to run against his own past. The senator could not escape a record that, while more bipartisan than most, was still marked with a giant ”R” after his name.
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