Born in 1983, I have never known a Pennsylvania politics not dominated by the unique, wishy-washy leadership style of Senator Arlen Specter. As a kid, I knew him as the guy who would call in occasionally to the local sports talk radio station and walk his dog through my East Falls high school campus (an entitlement which, needless to say, no other Philadelphian enjoyed). Since that time I have gotten to know the man better as something of a political coward--championing desperately needed progressive reforms and then voting against them, and apologizing for when not scripting Bush administration legal policies in the Senate. No, it came as no surprise to me when Specter decided that the Republican electorate in PA was no longer entitled to gauge his performance.
I met Joe Sestak in 2006. He came to speak at Haverford College, which sits right on the border of Pennsylvania's Montgomery and Delaware Counties. The latter had been represented in congress by Republican Curt Weldon for the last 20 years, but Joe fought to change that. Wearing blue jeans and an obnoxiously vibrant collared shirt, Sestak did not look the part of a true pol as he stood at the front of a small lecture hall. What prevailed upon us in that meeting though was Joe's sincerity and concern for the people of Philadelphia's western suburbs. He spoke plainly and at length about his personal commitment to restoring competence to the military appropriations process and to extending the public health privileges that his family enjoyed to all Americans. We who met Joe that night were relatively unsurprised when, despite early skepticism, he defeated Weldon by 7 points.
A New Democrat, Sestak is less progressive than I and I'm sure many of you. For the first time though, I see the very real potential for Arlen Specter to be replaced by a legislator who actually stands for something and respects the wants and needs of his constituency. So what else could I do but my best to ensure that Rep. Sestak does indeed decide to fight this time? If you feel the same, I encourage you to join our new Facebook group, Congressman Sestak, PLEASE challenge Senator Specter, share your opinions on our wall, email your support to the congressman and amplify the voice of Pennsylvanians no longer content to concede to the personal ambitions of a man whose opportunity to lead has so long been squandered.
Official description:
Joe Sestak is a United States Congressman representing the 7th District (Delaware County) of Pennsylvania. A Democrat, Sestak is a retired Navy Vice Admiral and the highest-ranking former member of the Armed Forces to serve in the Congress.
In 2006, Sestak challenged 10-term Republican Curt Weldon for the 7th District seat in Washington. Weldon, a Delaware County institution, had won re-election in 2004 with 59% of the vote in spite of Presidential candidate John Kerry's 53% winning tally in the district. Still, Sestak was able to raise funds beyond Weldon's in 2006 and win the election by a 7+ point margin. Since his election, Sestak has actively served on the House committees on Small Business, Education & Labor and Armed Services, earning Majority Leader Steny Hoyer's designation as the most productive freshman congressman.
Sestak has made indications that he may seek election to the United States Senate seat currently held by Republican Arlen Specter. Specter has recently thrown that bid into question by declaring that he now is in fact a Democrat.
So what kind of Democrat the Keystone state inherit in Specter? He ardently supports the death penalty. He has voted against the Brady Bill, background checks at gun shows, the ban on assault weapons, and trigger locks for handguns. In 2006, an amendment written by Specter in to the USA PATRIOT act allowed the Bush administration to appoint United States Attorneys without confirmation by the Senate or limits on their terms. He voted for cloture on the Employee Free Choice Act in 2007, then voted against the bill. In 2009 he has vowed to not vote for cloture on the same. This exemplifies a long history of voicing tacit support for progressive measures and not voting for them in congress. Still a representative of a large blue-collar constituency from Philadelphia, Specter has recently showed more interest in investigating the destruction of "Spygate" tapes by the NFL following the New England Patriots' defeat of the Philadelphia Eagles in Superbowl XXXIX.
The longest-serving Senator in Pennsylvania's history, Arlen Specter will represent the state for a 30th year in 2010. Now 79 years old, Specter is seeking re-election to a 6th term. His decision to switch parties in April of this year represents his desire to do so, facing a strong Republican primary challenge from his right and voicing no future policy ambitions to endear him to either side.
Always the fighter, Joe Sestak has appropriately wondered aloud about what exactly Arlen Specter is fighting for, aside from his establishment status. If he is to be re-elected, it is possible that Specter will earn the very powerful charimanship of the Senate Appropriation Committee, though it is unknowable to anyone what Democratic measure he might champion there. What is widely understood about Specter is that he is loyal to no one and bafflingly unpredictable. Sestak has meanwhile sought to make the most of his deep personal commitment to armed service personnel and the people of Pennsylvania, notably through his stance on accessible and affordable health care, which Arlen Specter has shown no meaningful signs of supporting.
So this is our choice, Pennsylvanians! The Washington establishment has rallied around Specter, but it will ultimately be our responsibility to choose a Democratic candidate to face anti-tax pitchfork-wielder Pat Toomey. If you would like to see Pennsylvania represented by an energetic agent for change, and not the original proponent of the single-bullet theory, please join our group, email Joe and let him know that it's time to fight again.