Schwartz won’t run for Senate

Add another Democrat to the list of folks who won’t be running against newly-Democratic Senator Arlen Specter in next year’s primary: Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz (D-13).

Schwartz’s name had been frequently floated as a possible Senate candidate. But even before Specter said he would

Corbett adviser ‘suggests’ that Meehan leave Guv field; no dice, Meehan aide says

In a little bit of political maneuvering through the press, John Brabender, a top political consultant to Attorney General Tom Corbett,

The morning after: Conspiracy theories and names in the air

It could be called the equivalent of the political hangover: A news event rocks the political landscape, and in the process pundits, journalists and insiders throw out so many different hypothetically impending scenarios that it’s hard to keep track of what had merit in reality and what was a pipe dream.

The next morning, it’s all a cesspool of political speculation and innuendo.

The day after Senator Arlen Specter Full Story

The First Read — All Things Arlen Edition

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.

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A day—and a decision—that transformed the political landscape/strongbr /
When the sun rose Tuesday morning, all was well. The Democratic Senate primary was a snoozer. Everyone was talking about President Obama’s hundred days. And Arlen Specter was the state’s Republican senior Senator, a reliable GOP vote even if he ticked off the conservative base from time to time. What a difference a day makes. a href="http://www.pa2010.com/2009/04/a-day%e2%80%94and-a-decision%e2%80%94that-transformed-the-political-landscape/?utm_source=PA2010.com+First+Read+Opt-In+List&utm_campaign=943080cfde-The+First+Read+4%2F29&utm_medium=email" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.pa2010.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pa2010.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fa-day%25e2%2580%2594and-a-decision%25e2%2580%2594that-transformed-the-political-landscape%2F%3Futm_source%3DPA2010.com%2BFirst%2BRead%2BOpt-In%2BList%26amp%3Butm_campaign%3D943080cfde-The%2BFirst%2BRead%2B4%252F29%26amp%3Butm_medium%3Demail','Read+More')" target="_blank"Read More/abr /
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A primary preview? Sestak hits Specter/strongbr /
Congressman Joe Sestak (D-7) said Tuesday night he still hadn’t made up his mind about a Senate run. But in a series of attack lines about Arlen Specter, he offered a peek at the kind of message he could use against the newly-Democratic Senator in a primary. a href="http://www.pa2010.com/2009/04/a-primary-preview-sestak-hits-specter/?utm_source=PA2010.com+First+Read+Opt-In+List&utm_campaign=943080cfde-The+First+Read+4%2F29&utm_medium=email" onclick="javascript:_gaq.push(['_trackEvent','outbound-article','http://www.pa2010.com']);return TrackClick("http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pa2010.com%2F2009%2F04%2Fa-primary-preview-sestak-hits-specter%2F%3Futm_source%3DPA2010.com%2BFirst%2BRead%2BOpt-In%2BList%26amp%3Butm_campaign%3D943080cfde-The%2BFirst%2BRead%2B4%252F29%26amp%3Butm_medium%3Demail','Read+More')">Read More

Biden spoke with Specter 14 times
In the Democratic Party’s courtship of Arlen Specter, no one may have played a bigger role than Vice President Joe Biden. strongbr /
Specter the survivor had no choice/strongbr /
In a Voices piece, former…

What a day…

Days like this are what pa2010.com was built for. I hope we provided the one-stop-shop for all the breaking Specter news you needed, with the kind of accuracy, depth, breadth and timeliness we strive to achieve. If there were things you think we could have done better, post a comment or e-mail me.

There’s really not much more to be said about Specter… for now. Over the coming days, we’ll be delving…

Penguins, 76ers, and the economy

Pennsylvania sports are at a fever pitch right now. The Phillies and the Steelers are coming off  world championship seasons. The promising young Pittsburgh Penguins, with two amazing stars in Malkin and Crosby, just served a painful first-round exit to the Philadelphia Flyers, and even the Phildelphia 76ers are finding better than expected success against the Orlando Magic in the current NBA playoffs.

Does this culture of winning help the Pennsylvania economy? Nope, not according…

Investing in your favorite politician and how it might soon get harder

State Representatives Doug Reichley (R-Berks), Glen Grell (R-Cumberland) and Stan Saylor (R-York) have drafted a proposal to strengthen oversight and accountability of contracts awarded for consultation and litigation in state cases and projects.

The bill was drafted in response to the recent fuss about a legal contract awarded to law firm Bailey Perrin Bailey of Houston. Pennsylvania Republicans are accusing Gov. Ed Rendell of awarding a no-bid contract to the law firm after receiving close…

As I was saying . . .

Well, no sooner had I

Specter left us… not the other way around

As you surely know, U.S. Senator Arlen Specter has decided to run as a Democrat in the upcoming Senate primary in 2010. I am certainly disappointed in his decision to leave the Republican Party.

I am a little surprised about the switch considering recent comments Specter made that the 41 Republican Senators in the Senate were “national assets” were blocking Democrats from controlling “all mechanisms of government.”

However, Specter’s stances on many issues were at…

A day—and a decision—that transformed the political landscape

When the sun rose Tuesday morning, all was well. The Democratic Senate primary was a ticked off the conservative base from time to time.

What a difference a day makes.

Specter’s Full Story