Specter gains chairmanship, loses potential foe
Senator Arlen Specter, who has had some rocky times since switching from the Republican to Democratic party last week, had a really good day on Thursday.
Specter gained some power — the chairmanship of a Senate subcommittee — and lost a potential and powerful reelection foe, former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge.
“After careful consideration and many conversations with friends and family and the leadership of my party, I have decided not to seek the Republican nomination for Senate,” Ridge said in a statement.
Earlier on Thursday, Senate Democrats, who had stripped Specter of committee seniority this week, turned around and gave him the chairmanship of a Judiciary subcommittee on crime and drugs.
“I want Senator Specter to feel welcome in our caucus,” said Assistant Senate Majority Leader Dick Durbin, the Democrat who surrendered the chairmanship to make way for Specter.
“It is something I’d like to do,” Specter said.
Specter riled members of both parties last week in becoming the chamber’s newest Democrat.
Senator Arlen Specter will need to convince Democrats that he jumped ship mainly out of real conviction and not for convenience. If he does that convincingly, there is a bright future for him. More and more Republicans are disillusioned with the GOP and may jolly well decide to switch allegiance. The Democrats will have to be prudent before accepting Republicans into their rank and file: their credentials and intentions will have to be vetted very closely. President Obama has shown smart leadership and Republicans are beginning to realise that their political party is like a rudderless ship. Obama is calling all the shots as America grows from strength to strength.