Specter: 15 requests for donation refunds so far

Little-noticed in Senator Arlen Specter’s statement that he would switch parties was a pledge to …

What we missed…

Apologies to our readers for the late start this morning—been battling something of a head cold.

More stories coming soon, but in the meantime, here’s what you may have missed:

pa href="http://www.slate.com/id/2217291/" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.slate.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.slate.com%2Fid%2F2217291%2F','What+did+Chris+Matthews+know+and+when%3F')" target="_blank"What did Chris Matthews know and when?/a (hat tip to Capitol Ideas)/p
pa href="http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20090430_Specter_offers_to_return_donations.html" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.philly.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.philly.com%2Finquirer%2Flocal%2F20090430_Specter_offers_to_return_donations.html','Specter+offers+to+return+donations')" target="_blank">Specter offers to return donations

…

The First Read — April 30, 2009

Good Morning!

Every Monday-Thursday morning, pa2010.com compiles the most important political news of the day, from newspapers to the blogosphere and back. Enjoy this edition.

pstrongTorsella: Rendell hasn’t asked me to bow out/strongbr /
Contradicting reports that emerged late Wednesday morning, the Senate campaign of Joe Torsella told pa010.com that Gov. Ed Rendell has not asked Torsella to exit the Democratic primary in favor of Arlen Specter. a href="http://www.pa2010.com/2009/04/torsella-rendell-hasnt-asked-me-to-bow-out/" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.pa2010.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pa2010.com%2F2009%2F04%2Ftorsella-rendell-hasnt-asked-me-to-bow-out%2F','Read+More')" target="_blank"Read More/abr /
strongbr /
Sestak seen as most likely to run against Specter in primary/strongbr /
With the Democratic Party seemingly lining up behind Senator Arlen Specter at the state and national levels, Congressman Joe Sestak (D-7) has emerged as the most likely candidate to buck party leaders and run against Specter, party insiders and political analysts say. a href="http://www.pa2010.com/2009/04/exclusive-sestak-seen-as-most-likely-to-run-against-specter-in-primary/" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.pa2010.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pa2010.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fexclusive-sestak-seen-as-most-likely-to-run-against-specter-in-primary%2F','Read+More')" target="_blank">Read More

Will Dems be looking for Specter endorsements?
Before Senator Arlen Specter again became a pariah to the GOP’s conservative base, down-ballot candidates would habitually bring him on stage to get his backing for their candidacies. Now that Specter’s switching sides, it begs the question: Will Democrats do the …

Rendell & Torsella: Clearing things up

So there’s been some confusion about exactly what Gov. Ed Rendell has said to Democrat Joe Torsella regarding the Senate race. I’ve reviewed his recent statements, and what seems to have happened is this.

-Rendell, in formal and informal statements, has made it abundantly clear he is behind Senator Arlen Specter in the Democratic primary. He has said it would probably be best if Torsella stepped aside.

-But there is no indication, yet, that he …

NRSC Introduces Pennsylvanians To Democrat Senator Arlen Specter

By THE NATIONAL REPUBLICAN SENATORIAL COMMITTEE

WASHINGTON – The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) launched calls today informing Pennsylvania Democrat primary voters about their new Democrat U.S. Senator, Arlen Specter. The calls, which highlight Senator Specter’s record and glowing support from former President George W. Bush, will target tens of thousands of Democrat primary voters in the Keystone State.

“In light of Senator Specter’s changing political party, we felt it was our civic duty to …

Gerlach Opposes Budget that Taxes, Spends and Borrows Too Much

Washington – Congressman Jim Gerlach (PA-6th District) refused to burden American workers and job creators with higher taxes, deeper debt and hefty borrowing increases and voted against the Fiscal Year 2010 Budget presented by a House-Senate Conference Committee.

“President Obama deserves some credit for at least mentioning the need to trim $100 million in discretionary spending,” Gerlach said. “But any savings will be completely wiped out by the $3.6 trillion spending plan the Democrat House …

Torsella: Rendell hasn’t asked me to bow out

Contradicting reports that emerged late Wednesday morning, the Senate campaign of Joe Torsella told pa010.com that Gov. Ed Rendell has not asked Torsella to exit the Democratic primary in favor of Arlen Specter.

Rendell and President Obama have both signaled that they’ll back Specter, who said he would …

Swine flu and the Keystone economy

Besides Roche stock doing very well today, what other effects will a swine flu scare and/or pandemic have on the economy?

Immediately, cases have been discovered in nearby New York City. Philadelphia itself has taken on some …

And this just in…

Already stunned by the news of Senator Arlen Specter’s party switch, Pennsylvanians received a second jolt today when Benedict Arnold, the Revolutionary War general and America’s most famous traitor, announced that he had accepted Canadian citizenship and would stand as the Liberal Party candidate for Prime Minister later this year.

In a standing room only press conference, Arnold explained his decision. “I guess that I wasn’t pure enough for them, ” he explained. “When I …

Sestak seen as most likely to run against Specter in primary

With the Democratic Party seemingly lining up behind Senator Arlen Specter at the state and national levels, Congressman Joe Sestak (D-7) has emerged as the most likely candidate to buck party leaders and run against Specter, party insiders and political analysts say.

While Democrats across the state were issuing statements in support of Specter’s decision to campaign war chest and his relative lack of ties to the state’s Democratic apparatus have made him the odds-on …