Lynn Yeakel, who came close to beating Specter 17 years ago, had kind words for Specter when he switched parties earlier this year. But she ultimately backed Sestak, unlike most of the Democratic establishment.

“I’m supporting Joe Sestak on the issues important to men and women, including equality in rights and opportunities for everyone,” Yeakel said in a statement. “What we need in Pennsylvania and across this country will require a refreshing new voice in our nation’s capital – a person who looks at Washington not just as it is, but as it CAN be. It will require a decision-maker who is unafraid, unselfish and unwilling to be manipulated by political winds. And finally I have found that person—Congressman Joe Sestak.”

News of the coming endorsement had leaked days earlier, and in anticipation, the Specter campaign e-mailed reporters statements from prominent Democratic women supporting Specter.

“He has been a champion for women in United States and internationally,” former Congresswoman Marjorie Margolies said in one statement. “I have never come to him with a problem where he hasn’t helped to find a solution for women.”

Lynn Yeakel, who came close to knocking off Senator Arlen Specter in 1992, is, not too surprisingly, giving her support to the man who hopes to beat the Republican-turned-Democrat next year. CQ Politics reports that Yeakel will be endorsing Congressman Joe Sestak (D-7) next week.

“I’ve known Joe for four years and he has the character and integrity to represent our party and our Commonwealth in Washington,” Yeakel said.

Of course, the Specter campaign was quick to point out that Yeakel had kind words for Specter when he switched parties earlier this year.

“Obviously, I’m delighted that he’s making this move,” Yeakel told The New York Observer at the time. “I think he’s always been more of a moderate.”

Nice, but she did leave herself wiggle room: “Unless there’s somebody else in the Democratic primary who, for whatever reason, I found myself more in agreement with, I certainly would support him,” she added, saying specifically that she didn’t think Sestak would run.

Meanwhile, friend-of-the-site John Micek got a great tip on a fundraiser for Tom Corbett, where a member of the host committee was none other than Timothy Carson, a vice chairman of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, which is being investigated by Corbett’s office. This should give the Gerlach folks more ammunition for the conflict-of-interest meme, and we’ll be looking into it more ourselves.

If at first you don’t succeed, try again, then try again. That’s what Hazleon Mayor Lou Barletta might be thinking, as he considers whether or not to run against Congressman Paul Kanjorski (D-11) for a third time. Most pollsters and political-watchers expected Barletta to unseat Kanjorski last year before a wave of Obama supporters helped push Kanjorski to reelection. Now we read that Barletta will decide whether to make another run later this month.

And a few days after we reported that state Representative Sam Rohrer (R-Berks) seems more and more likely to run for governor, The Inquirer reports that he’ll be making his big announcement Nov. 17.

Correction: The headline for this article originally stated that Lynn Yeakel would be endorsing Arlen Specter. As the article reported, she plans to endorse his opponent, Joe Sestak.