By Alex Roarty
PoliticsPA Staff Writer
roarty@politicspa.com
A Muhlenberg College/Morning Call poll released Sunday shows Democratic challenger Joe Sestak trailing incumbent Arlen Specter by only 6 points, a margin dramatically lower than many public surveys of the U.S. Senate primary that might surprise some observers.
Most polls of the race have shown Sestak down between 10 to 20 points against Specter, although critically, unlike the Morning Call’s survey, they have all come before Sestak started airing ads two weeks ago.
It might not be an outlier, either. The Inquirer reported Friday night that an internal poll from another campaign showed Specter winning by nine points. Sources from other campaigns tell PoliticsPA their internals have also shown Sestak closing the gap as the May 18 primary nears.
Despite widespread pessimism about the Sestak campaign in the state’s political community, most assumed it would begin gaining ground Specter in the campaign’s final weeks. The question now is whether Specter maintains a cushion against Sestak or if the race becomes a dead heat, or even leans toward the congressman, by May 18.
Arlen Specter has worked a long time and earned his retirement. His attack ads and constant whining about whatever happened at the end of Joe Sestak’s honorable military career are indicative of a desperation for survival. Joe Sestak is a decent, honorable man who has not launched attack ads, although there is plenty of fodder for them. As a Republican of long standing, Specter supported McCain/Palin, voted for several right wing Supreme Court Justices, and stood by as Wall Street practically decimated our economy. Now that he has “seen the light” and become a Democrat in pursuit of his political survival, he has switched his positions on many issues. I saw him on Saturday night when he tried to shake my hand. He looks very sickly and frail without TV makeup. Could he really do the job required until 2018? Are Democrats in Pennsylvania too dense to see through his antics? Do they not question where his allegiances will lie if he gets re-elected and there is nothing to prohibit him from flipping back to the other side. Or do they just not care? I, for one, care very much. Joe Sestak MUST win this primary or we are certain to have a Republican Senator elected in November.
Spector should not run again, He is 81 years old! Will be be around to complete a 6 year term?
As a long time democrat, I support Joe Sestak. Spector has served PA well, but he is too old to run again. A senator’s term is 6 years. We have too many elderly senators. Enough is enough. Sestak is a good and capable man.
Wow, I didn’t know this website could pick up messages from alternate worlds.
U.S. Senator Arlen Specter is an honorable man and deserves to be the Democratic Nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2010!