Joe Sestak: I "Intend" To Challenge Specter In Primary

Rumors that Rep. Joe Sestak, (D-PA) intends to challenge Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) in the Pennsylvania Democratic primaries have been confirmed, TPMDC reported today. The site received a handwritten note from Sestak to a supporter asking for donations. Sestak's sister, Meg Infantino, who works for Sestak for Congress, confirmed the report.

Specter is planning to run for re-election next year after recently switching parties to avoid a primary challenger in the Republican field.

Sestak confirmed that he intends to throw his hat in the ring in a conversation today with Wolf Blitzer on CNN's "The Situation Room." Said Sestak:

Wolf, I personally have made a decision that I intend to get in this race with one other item. I haven't sat down and had the time to sit down with my 8-year-old daughter or my wife to make sure that we are all ready to get in.

Sestak emphasized that he is not worried about clashing with the White House, although President Obama has thrown his weight behind Specter and has vowed to campaign for him. Sestak noted that he had not been contacted by the White House and expressed dissatisfaction with the administration's decision to line up behind Specter:

As I said weeks ago, Wolf, I was disappointed that the Washington political establishment had decided to anoint someone for Pennsylvanians. And so I said I would wait and listen. And I've spent the last weeks going around Pennsylvania to see if others felt like me.

Sestak also appeared on MSNBC's "The Ed Show". Watch the video:

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Comments

[jackything]

Glad to hear it....Spec­ter never intended to go along with the Dems and he deserves to get his head handed to him.

[FatBoy1953]

Great! We need a progressive in that seat and not blue-dog Spector.

[JoeLib]

This is a good thing! GO JOE!

[BlueKy]

Run Joe, Run!

[PennLawyer]

Good news for Pennsylvanians - I for one will support Sestak's primary run. He's probably waiting to see if he'll be the only challenger to Specter in a primary. Multiple challengers to an incumbent in a primary divide up the votes and political donations among themselves, and the incumbent always wins if he has 2 or more halfway decent challengers.
Aside from my concerns based on decades of watching Specter masquerade as a moderate (on the non-controversial votes) but always coming through for the GOP on the major policy issues, I also believe the man is just too old to run again. He would be EIGHTY YEARS OLD at the start of his next term, holding office until he was 86. Think about any 86 year old relative or neighbor you know - would you want them preparing your tax returns, performing your root canal, operating on you, working as an air traffic controller for your inbound flight at Newark? Neither do they have the mental alertness and physical stamina to represent you in the US Senate. After his decades as a Senator, and at that age, if he even lived through his entire term, his senior staffers (all hired and trained via the GOP) would be calling the shots, not him.
Until we have a mandatory retirement age for politicians, the voters will have to get that message across via the ballot box. Too bad we can't do the same for the USSC.

[Maschine]

Spector, the magic bullet theory guy. And he keeps getting re elected - something is very wrong with the picture.

[JanPoore]

I live in PA and have been waiting for this announcement. Joe, I will be voting for you, not Spector!!!! Thanks for giving us a choice. You have a lot of support out there and a great chance of defeating Spector in the primary.

[philss]

go joe go
as an ex pennsylvanian I hope you beat the pants off of spector
and when the time comes I hope I have enuf left to financially support you in your campaign
we need real democrats not fake ones representing our country

[democles]

I'm sending my check to Sestak. Specter = Leiberman. Both need to go.

[MitchelleWS]

whenever Democrats line up to anoint someone (Hillary Clinton), and then clear the field (support, money) without giving the voters a fair choice at the voting booth, it hardly ever works out for them (and sometimes for us -- John Kerry).

With Specter, we are saddled with an 80 year old who has not put in his time with the party in his state, and whose vote we can't reliably count on when the going gets tough.

I say Run Joey Run Joey Run.

[BushBites]

He seems like a good guy, but why would he announce a "family meeting" on national TV?:

I mean, either do it or don't, but don't say "I'll check with my family then get back to you."

Doesn't that put a lot of pressure on the family?

[Busbydav]

I think it was an out in case he gets extreme pressure from the administration. Cross your fingers.

[AnotherAndy]

That's the best news I've heard all year! Sestak has my vote.

[JWheels]

As a Pennsylvania Democrat, I will gladly support Joe Sestak in the primaries to be the next Senator of our state.

[aspecialed]

YES! I live in PA and will vote for Joe without a doubt!

[WinterParkMom]

Go Sestak. I've listened to him on more than one interview and he is a solid Dem. I have no idea why the white house would get behind a turncoat rather than a Dem like Sestak who would give them solid votes all the way.

I think Pres O got this one wrong.