Sestak leads Specter by two, poll says

UPDATE APPENDED (See bottom)

Democrat Joe Sestak holds a statistically insignificant two-point lead over incumbent Senator Arlen Specter in next week’s primary, according to a new poll.

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May 14, 2010 at 11:58 am | Comments (40)

Rendell stumping for Specter Friday night

President Obama won’t be coming to town, but Arlen Specter still gets the guvnah.

Gov. Ed Rendell will headline a Specter campaign rally Friday night in Philadelphia. It’s all about get-out-the-vote, with plans to organize ward maps and phone-bank sheets in preparation for a big weekend of city canvassing.

The event is at 7:15 at the local IBEW hall on Spring Garden Street.

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May 14, 2010 at 11:15 am | Comments (34)

LEFTOVERS: Specter likes Kagan, Schwartz likes Specter, disability advocates like Hoeffel

Arlen Specter seems to be laying the ground work for a vote in favor of Elena Kagan’s confirmation to the Supreme Court. The blogosphere got into a tizzy when Kagan was nominated, given the fact that Specter voted against her confirmation as Solicitor General. full story

May 13, 2010 at 9:11 pm | Comments (27)

Specter camp cries foul on Sestak’s ads (Updated)

Two of Democrat Joe Sestak’s campaign ads use a photo of incumbent Senator Arlen Specter from shortly after Specter underwent chemotherapy—and Specter’s campaign doesn’t like it.

The photo comes from Specter’s appearance at a campaign rally with former Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin during the 2008 campaign. It was used first in

May 13, 2010 at 2:26 pm | Comments (47)

Suffolk poll shows Onorato, Sestak with largest leads so far

Democratic Senate candidate Joe Sestak holds a nine-point lead over incumbent Arlen Specter in Tuesday’s primary, according to a new poll. The survey from Suffolk University also showed Democrat Dan Onorato holding a larger lead over his gubernatorial primary opponents than any other public poll has shown to date.

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May 13, 2010 at 1:51 pm | Comments (27)

Latest Sestak ad cites ‘dead heat,’ compares records

Democratic Senate candidate Joe Sestak is using his latest ad to remind voters that the race is getting closer—and to do some comparison of his voting record with that of incumbent Senator Arlen Specter.

The 30-second spot offers up a scorecard of Sestak’s brief voting record in Congress, juxtaposed with Specter’s on matters such as women’s issues and environmental issues.

“The best Democrat for Pennsylvania’s future: Joe Sestak,” a narrator says.

See the new ad…

May 13, 2010 at 11:48 am | Comments (12)

Chris Matthews grills Specter

The man who almost ran for Senate himself spent a few minutes grilling incumbent Arlen Specter Wednesday.

MSNBC commentator Chris Matthews challenged Specter on his past support for Republican presidential candidates and recent verbal slip-ups in which Specter thanked “Republicans” when he was with Democratic groups.

See the video below.

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May 13, 2010 at 11:32 am | Comments (5)

Another poll shows Sestak running better against Toomey

Democratic Senate candidate Joe Sestak keeps getting more ammunition for his argument that he’s the more electable candidate in November.

The latest came in the form of a Quinnipiac University poll released Thursday, which showed Sestak trailing presumptive Republican nominee Pat Toomey by just two points, within the margin of error. Toomey leads 42 percent to 40 percent, with 16 percent of voters still undecided.

Incumbent Arlen Specter, meanwhile, trails Toomey by seven points, 47…

May 13, 2010 at 11:15 am | Comments (4)

Specter in the NYT

The New York Times has been all about Arlen Specter the last couple days.

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May 13, 2010 at 10:54 am | Comments (2)

Arlen Specter, Anthony Williams, and the need for high black turnout

When polls open next Tuesday, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Anthony Williams will no doubt be watching Philadelphia closely, hoping that enough has been done to turnout the high number of black voters he needs to narrow what remains a yawning gap against primary rival Dan Onorato.

But if there’s one person who has even more riding on that turnout, it’s Senator Arlen Specter.

The Republican-turned-Democrat has long commanded strong support from within the city’s black community.…

May 12, 2010 at 11:30 pm | Comments (41)