2010 United States Senate Democratic primary election in Pennsylvania
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County results Sestak: 50–60% 60–70% Specter: 50–60% 60–70% |
Elections in Pennsylvania |
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Government |
The Democratic Party primary for the 2010 United States Senate election in Pennsylvania took place on May 18, 2010, when Congressman Joe Sestak defeated incumbent Arlen Specter, which led to the end of Specter's five-term Senatorial career. Just before the start of the primary campaign, after serving in the Senate as a Republican for 29 years, Specter had switched to the Democratic Party in anticipation of a difficult primary challenge by Pat Toomey; Toomey ultimately defeated Sestak in the general election. Political observers and journalists described the race between Specter and Sestak as one of the bitterest and most-watched of all the 2010 primary elections.[1][2][3]
Although Sestak was initially urged to run by the Democratic establishment, Specter gained broad support from Democrats after he switched parties. Prominent political figures like President
Specter led Sestak by more than 20 percentage points for most of the race. However, this lead narrowed significantly in the final month of the campaign, when Sestak concentrated his funds and efforts on television commercials questioning Specter's Democratic credentials. Specter grew more critical of Sestak as the race progressed, attacking his House attendance record, accusing him of failing to pay his staffers minimum wage and alleging he was demoted while serving in the U.S. Navy for creating a poor command climate. Political observers said Sestak's commercials played a major part in his victory. A national swing in momentum toward Republicans and against incumbents ultimately harmed Specter's chances.[4][5][6]
Background
Chris Matthews speculation
Beginning in April 2008, the media reported growing speculation that Chris Matthews, news commentator and host of MSNBC's Hardball with Chris Matthews, might run in the 2010 Democratic primary for the United States Senate Pennsylvania seat then occupied by Republican Arlen Specter. In an interview with The New York Times Magazine, Matthews said that he believed Specter had been in the Senate for too long, but that running for Senate would mean giving up a career he loved. Mark Leibovich, author of the article, wrote, "Matthews has been particularly obsessed with Pennsylvania of late, devoting hours on and off the air to the state's upcoming Democratic primary, staying in close contact with the state's party apparatus".[7] Speculation was further fueled by Matthews' appearance on an April 14 episode of The Colbert Report.[8] Host Stephen Colbert asked Matthews about the rumors and prodded him to make a public announcement, to which Matthews replied, "Did you ever want to be something your whole life? ... When you grow up, some kids want to be a fireman. I want to be a Senator. But I have to deal with these things as they come."[9] Matthews declined to directly answer questions about his possible candidacy when pressed by the media, but did not deny the possibility.[7]
The subject of Matthews' possible candidacy was raised at an October dinner fundraiser for presidential candidate
The increased speculation led some, like former spokesman for Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign Phil Singer, to criticize Matthews for openly weighing a political campaign bid while working as a news broadcaster. Singer believed Matthews should resign or be suspended from the network until a decision was made.[13] Speculation grew as Matthews spent much of 2008 attending meetings with Pennsylvania representatives and major Democratic fundraisers.[14] Matthews discussed a possible campaign with Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, and poll numbers for a theoretical race showed him only three percentage points behind Specter.[15] However, the speculation came to an end on January 7, 2009, when Matthews told his Hardball staff he was not going to run for Senate. Such media outlets as The New York Times and The Washington Post suggested Matthews' alleged consideration was a tactic to ensure a higher salary during negotiations with MSNBC to renew his contract,[14][15] which was set to expire in June 2009.[13]
Arlen Specter party switch
As early as 2008, five-term Republican Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter had made clear his plans to seek re-election.
A March 2009 article in The Hill quoted Specter as stating he was considering leaving the Republican party to run for re-election as an Independent candidate.[21] Specter later denied the validity of those claims,[17] announcing on March 18, "To eliminate any doubt, I am a Republican, and I am running for reelection in 2010 as a Republican on the Republican ticket."[22] However, on April 28, 2009, Specter announced he was leaving the Republican Party and becoming a Democrat because he disagreed with the increasingly conservative direction the Republican Party was heading in and found his personal philosophy was now better aligned with the Democrats. Although Specter said that he primarily based his decision on principle, he also admitted it was partially due to his poor chances at winning the Republican primary: "I have traveled the state and surveyed the sentiments of the Republican Party in Pennsylvania and public opinion polls, observed other public opinion polls and have found that the prospects for winning a Republican primary are bleak."[23][24]
Prior to switching parties, Specter said he had been assured by Senate Majority Leader
Joe Sestak declares candidacy
Second-term U.S. Representative
I am running to be Pennsylvania's next United States Senator because I am committed to passing along a better world to our children. That's going to take leadership that is committed to the principles of honesty, accountability, and hard work. The people we sent to Washington to represent you, to look out for you, failed to do so, and they must be held accountable.
Joe Sestak, announcing his candidacy[35]
Sestak insisted he would not make a final decision for several months. On May 4, he met with Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union, which fueled speculation that he was seeking labor support for a campaign.[36] Meanwhile, Joe Torsella, the former president of the National Constitution Center, had planned on running for the Democratic nomination and initially announced Specter's party change would not affect his decision to run.[37] However, Torsella announced on May 14 he was dropping out of the race because Specter's decision changed the political landscape, and he wanted to avoid a campaign that "would probably be negative, personal, and more about Senator Specter's past than our common future".[38] It had been reported that Governor Rendell, for whom Torsella previously worked as an aide, pushed for Torsella to step aside so Specter could run unopposed, but Torsella's staff denied those claims.[32] Despite Torsella's departure, Sestak continued to consider entering the race and began gaining support from the Democratic party's more liberal factions like the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, which began a "Draft Sestak" campaign fund.[39] Sestak became further encouraged to run after taking a tour of all 67 Pennsylvania counties to meet with party leaders and discuss such issues as jobs, the economy and health care.[29] Sestak said that the leaders voiced serious concerns to him about the direction of the country and, although his lack of name recognition was a problem, Sestak said many of the people he encountered voiced support for him.[40]
On May 27, the website Talking Points Memo posted a handwritten letter by Sestak to candidates declaring his intent to run for Senate. Sestak did not dispute the authenticity of the letter, but told the press he wanted to discuss the matter with his family before making a formal decision.[41] Sestak told media outlets he realized President Obama wished him not to run against Specter, but that he felt the choice should be with the voters of Pennsylvania rather than the president.[42][43] Governor Rendell overtly tried to convince him not to run, believing it would damage Sestak's own political future, plus cost the Democratic Party both Sestak's House seat and possibly damage Specter's general election chances.[44] Nevertheless, Sestak formally declared his candidacy for the Democratic nomination on August 4, 2009, in a speech before a Veterans of Foreign Wars hall in his native Delaware County.[35] Shortly after the announcement, Toomey issued a statement welcoming Sestak to the race, describing him as "a consistent liberal who really believes in his values", as compared to Specter, who he called "a career political opportunist who believes in nothing but his own re-election".[45]
Candidates
- U.S. representative for Pennsylvania's 7th congressional district
- Arlen Specter, incumbent U.S. Senator
Pennsylvania Rep. William C. Kortz and retired manufacturer Joseph Vodvarka also ran in the Democratic primary, but neither remained for the duration of the race. Kortz, who was little known outside the western Pennsylvania area,[46] dropped out of the race on January 14, 2010, after raising only $20,000 of the $2 million he sought to raise for his campaign.[47] Vodvarka, an Allegheny County man who had been mostly overlooked throughout the race, was formally removed from the ballot in mid-April 2010 after it was revealed he failed to garner the minimum number of signatures for a nominating petition.[48]
Campaign
Early months
Both candidates started the campaign well-funded. Sestak had more than $3 million available from his House fund to use toward starting a Senate campaign,[32] and raised an additional $1 million by June 30, 2009, which brought his total to about $4.2 million. Sestak called it the largest campaign war-chest of any Senate challenger. Specter, however, was ahead with $6.7 million in campaign funding as of March 31.[2] Sestak also faced challenges arising from his low name recognition and Specter's support among high-profile members of the Democratic establishment, like Obama and Biden.[45][49] Specter spent the early months of his campaign trying to reestablish and strengthen his Democratic credentials, seeking union support and making speeches highlighting his support of positions supported by the party, such as the economic stimulus package, reforming health care, increasing the minimum wage, protecting abortion rights and supporting stem cell research.[50][51][52] In a June 2009 speech to Pennsylvania Democratic Committee members in Pittsburgh, Specter said, "I'm again a Democrat and I'm pleased and proud to be a Democrat."[50] Commentators observed that Sestak's involvement in the race would test Specter's loyalty to the Democratic party and likely force him to make more liberal votes in the Senate.[53]
Even before Sestak formally declared his candidacy on August 4, 2009, Specter and Sestak began exchanging criticisms about each other that were so heated, The New York Times writer Janie Lorber suggested: "the contest will become one of the more vicious for next year's midterm elections."[2] Sestak repeatedly said Specter was not a "real Democrat" and continued to assert Specter's switch was based on self-preservation rather than principles.[35] Specter called Sestak a "flagrant hypocrite" for questioning Specter's loyalty to the Democratic Party, citing the fact that Sestak himself was registered as an Independent until he became a Democrat in 2006, just before he ran for Congress. Sestak claimed that was because he was serving in the military and wished to be nonpartisan. However, Specter called that a "lame excuse for avoiding party affiliation ... undercut by his documented disinterest in the political process", pointing out that records indicated Sestak voted in only 12 out of 35 elections from 1971 to 2005.[2] A day after Sestak formally entered the race, Specter described Sestak's recent 67-county tour as a "taxpayer-financed self-promotion tour around the state".[45] Specter's campaign also accused Sestak of neglecting his duties in the House and missing more than 100 votes in the last year, which Specter called the worst attendance record for any Pennsylvania Congressman.[35][45] Sestak responded to the latter point that most of the missed votes were procedural in nature,[54] and were missed because of the statewide tour and because he visited his father, who was dying at the time.[55] Sestak accused Specter of launching a "GOP negative style campaign", which Specter denied.[2]
Toomey and Obama get involved
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Discussion with Specter and Sestak at the Netroots Nation conference, August 14, 2009, C-SPAN |
Specter and Sestak participated in an August 14 panel discussion hosted by
Later, following an e-mail exchange with the expected Republican challenger Toomey about health care, Sestak proposed an unorthodox joint town hall with Toomey about the issue, which was held September 2 at
On September 15, Obama attended a
Specter maintains lead
As the primary entered into October, Specter continued to criticize Sestak on his record of missed votes in Congress. He claimed Sestak missed 122 in the past year, or nearly 17 percent of his total votes, whereas Specter missed four. In a letter, Specter told Sestak he should drop out of the campaign and start voting on a more consistent basis, or resign from the House "so he can cease to be a burden to the taxpayers".[66] Around the same time, Sestak launched a website called "The Real Specter", which highlighted the right-leaning votes Specter made and alliances he held during his 29 years as a Republican in the senate.[67] Specter continued to maintain a significant lead against Sestak of 19 percentage points, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released that month.[68][69] But Sestak pointed out that the gap was 32 points in July, and cited the poll as proof that he was gaining ground in the race.[68][70] Also that month, new reports indicated Toomey was growing in popularity and, in one poll, was actually ahead of Specter, with 43 percent of respondents saying they would vote for him compared to 42 percent for Specter. This was attributed by some to the challenge presented by Sestak and the declining popularity of Obama, whose approval rating had dropped from 56 percent in July to 49 percent in October.[69]
On October 14, Specter reported he had raised $1.8 million during the previous three-month period, bringing his total to about $8.7 million. The Senator said that he was aided in large part by his September 15 fundraiser hosted by Obama. In that same period, Sestak raised only $758,000, about a quarter million dollars lower than the previous quarter, making his total allocation about $4.7 million.[60][71] Sestak continued working hard to overcome his name recognition problem, seldom turning down interview requests and asking his staff to work six 12-hour days a week. As a result, Sestak saw a large amount of turnover in his staff, going through nearly half a dozen press secretaries and several chiefs of staff.[72] Sestak called on Specter to participate in six debates, one for each media market in Pennsylvania, but Specter only agreed to participate in one because that was the amount of debates he participated in as a Republican.[1][30] On December 7, Sestak was endorsed by Congressman Barney Frank, who said that he was impressed by Sestak's leadership on economic and military issues, as well as his positions against the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy and the Defense of Marriage Act. The endorsement was important to Sestak because it was the first time a prominent member of Congress broke with the Democratic establishment to back him over Specter.[73][74] Frank also said of Specter's switching parties, "I have to say I don't think it did our profession any good for someone to announce that he switched parties purely so he could survive."[74]
New polls in January indicated voter support was growing for Toomey, who now held a projected nine percentage point lead over Specter and an eight-point lead over Sestak. Specter continued to lead against Sestak in the Democratic primary poll, this time by a 21-point margin. Some political scientists believed Toomey's gain over Specter could be attributed to voter distrust of establishment candidates and growing dissatisfaction with the health care proposal pending in Congress.[75] However, some Democratic leaders felt Sestak's challenge to Specter was having a detrimental effect not only to Specter but to the Democratic party in general and their prospects for ultimately winning the general election. This feeling was enhanced by the growing national support for the Republican party, and especially by the unexpected victory of the Tea Party-backed Republican Scott Brown in a special election for a traditionally Democratic Massachusetts Senate seat.[76] Specter acknowledged to The New York Times that the national political mood might work against him in the primary, but insisted he was not discouraged and expressed confidence in his ability to survive.[76]
Race grows more heated
The primary continued to grow more heated in February 2010. On February 5, the two candidates held their first face-to-face debate, and used the 30-minute forum to strongly criticize each other, with Sestak continuing to associate Specter with failed Republican policies and Specter arguing his opponent was more focused on criticizing him than debating policy.
Later in February, Specter accused Sestak of mistreating his employees and disobeying state and federal minimum wage laws by severely underpaying his House staff.[81][82] Citing Federal Election Commission reports, Specter claimed ten of Sestak's sixteen campaign staffers were making less than minimum wage and that they were so underpaid they were eligible for food stamps. He also noted that Sestak's three highest-paid staffers were members of his family, including his brother Richard Sestak, who worked as campaign manager.[81] T.J. Rooney, a Specter supporter, wrote a letter to Sestak expressing concern about the potential violation of minimum wage laws, which read: "It is inconceivable to me that our standard bearer wouldn’t be paying his workers the minimum wage".[83] Sestak responded by acknowledging his staff could make more money elsewhere, but said "they choose to work hard and make some sacrifices because they know how important it is to elect someone to the United States Senate who shares their principles".[81]
Specter maintains momentum
As the primary race entered into March, Specter appeared to be maintaining his momentum, with polls indicating he not only led Sestak by 24 percentage points but had recaptured a projected lead against Toomey in the general election by a margin of 49 to 42 percent. Pollsters indicated Specter was still benefiting greatly from his strong name recognition, whereas Sestak and Toomey remained relatively little-known. Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute, said, "There remains no evidence that his primary challenger, Congressman Joe Sestak, has made much progress as we get within three months of the May primary."[82] However, Time writer Karen Tumulty noted that while "thus far, Sestak has failed to meet expectations", the poll also indicated some weaknesses for Specter. Namely, more than half of the surveyed Pennsylvanians did not feel he deserved another term. Among Democrats who knew the candidates well enough to form an opinion of both, Sestak led Specter 54 percent to 37 percent.[84] On March 16, Governor Rendell restated his past support of Specter and said of Sestak, "He has, in my mind, no chance to win."[85]
On March 30, Specter won the backing of the AFL–CIO, which was considered one of the most important endorsements in the primary race.[86] It was one of several major labor endorsements Specter had received, including the state Service Employees International Union and the Pennsylvania State Education Association, which represented 200,000 state teachers.[86][87] Representatives from the AFL–CIO cited Specter's backing of President Obama's stimulus package as a major factor in their decision. Sestak criticized the union federation's decision, pointing out he had a 100 percent rating from the national AFL–CIO. In comparison, Specter had a 61 percent rating. He also attacked Specter for previously backing President George W. Bush's economic policies and said, "Pennsylvania workers need a Senator they can count on to be there when they need him, not only when he needs them during an election." The Philadelphia Inquirer writer Thomas Fitzgerald called the endorsement "a powerful affirmation of how smoothly Specter has managed his political transition to the Democratic Party since leaving the Republican Party less than a year ago."[86]
On April 11, Sestak held a debate with Toomey in Philadelphia without Specter present. Media observers described it as an explicit criticism of Specter for refusing to hold more than one debate with Sestak. During that debate, Sestak strongly attacked Toomey's voting record in what The Morning Call reporter Colby Itkowitz described as "an obvious effort to show Democrats that he could hold his own in a general election matchup." At the end of the debate, Toomey voiced respect for Sestak and described him as a more principled man than Specter, whom he criticized for not participating in more debates.[88] Later that month, when the Senate candidates publicly released their quarterly campaign finance reports on April 15, it was revealed Toomey raised more in the first three months of 2010 than either Democratic candidate, adding $2.3 million to his total $4.1 million war chest compared to Specter adding $1.1 million to his total $9.1 million fund.[4][89] Political analysts attributed this to the national swing in momentum toward Republicans, and said that it could indicate the Republicans would be victorious in many Senate races, including in Pennsylvania.[4] Sestak raised $442,000 in the three-month period, down from his previous quarter, which Specter's campaign said proved Democratic donors had rejected his candidacy. Specter's fundraising advantage was significant because it allowed him to start early in running political campaign commercials.[89]
Television advertisements
Starting in April, both Specter and Sestak launched television advertisements that were particularly critical of each other. Sestak, who had been saving most of his roughly $5 million campaign funds until the final month of the primary race, unveiled a 60-second spot that highlighted his Navy career and described the role his daughter's experience as a brain cancer survivor played in his decision to enter politics.[90][91] The commercial did not discuss Specter by name but made several implicit references to him, such as Sestak's statements that "too many politicians are concerned about keeping their jobs instead of helping people" and "if we want real change in Washington, we can't keep sending the same career politicians to represent us".[90] Specter launched several commercials, most focusing on his plans to promote job growth. One advertisement, however, focused entirely on attacking Sestak, highlighting not only his voting attendance record – labeling him "No Show Joe"[55] – but also his Navy service. The commercial stated Sestak was "relieved of duty in the Navy for creating a poor command climate," a reference to Sestak's 2005 transfer from a senior Pentagon planning post to a lesser position, which effectively ended his naval career.[90][91]
The Navy Times had previously reported the transfer resulted from Sestak forcing subordinates to work unreasonable hours. However, Sestak himself disputed that accusation and attributed the transfer to the fact that the new top officer, Admiral Michael Mullen, simply wanted to appoint his own team.[90] Sestak called on Specter to stop broadcasting the commercial, accusing the Senator of "Republican-style" negative campaign tactics, which he compared to those used against Senator John Kerry by the Swift Vets and POWs for Truth during the 2004 presidential election.[90] Sestak said in a statement, "It's time to tell Arlen Specter: Democrats don't 'swift boat'. We're better than that."[91] A group of veterans gathered in Philadelphia to echo Sestak's call that the commercial should be removed, with retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant General Robert E. Kelley announcing, "We're all here because we're enraged at the fact that someone, anyone, in the United States today would question someone who has 30 years of service." Specter's campaign replied they would not remove the commercial because it was accurate, and instead called on Sestak to remove his advertisement, claiming it violated United States Department of Defense guidelines because it used military images, references, and jargon without a disclaimer that the department did not endorse it.[92]
Sestak gains in closing weeks
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Pennsylvania Democratic Primary Senate Debate, May 1, 2010, C-SPAN |
Sestak and Specter held their first and only televised debate on May 1 at Philadelphia's Fox affiliate. The two candidates bitterly attacked each other's character and honesty.[1][93] The two began arguing even before the hour-long debate formally began, when Sestak objected to Specter's use of notes and said that the rules did not allow them. The debate organizer ruled that the notes were allowed.[1] Specter criticized Sestak for campaign advertisements that accused the Senator of lying about Sestak's record. Specter said, "Nobody has ever called me a liar," and demanded an apology, to which Sestak did not respond. Specter also repeatedly asked Sestak to publicly release his military records, to which Sestak again refused to respond.[1][93] Sestak accused Specter of using Republican-style tactics in the vein of Karl Rove, a former adviser to George W. Bush, and said Specter's attacks were meant to mask his record of supporting Bush's failed economic policies. Specter insisted the questions raised about Sestak's naval record were legitimate because much of Sestak's campaign was based on his military background, adding, "It goes to his ability to get things done, to get along with people. He's all peaches and cream on television."[1] Specter criticized Sestak for supporting the troop build-up in Afghanistan, while Sestak noted that Specter voted against a ban on assault weapons in the 1990s.[1][93] The Philadelphia Inquirer noted the debate was "every bit as contentious as their Democratic Senate primary struggle has become in its closing days".[1]
With only two weeks remaining before the primary, a Quinnipiac University poll released May 4 showed Specter's lead against Sestak had significantly narrowed, dropping from 53 to 32 percent in the previous month to 47–39 percent. A daily tracking poll by Muhlenberg College showed the race as even closer, with Specter supported by 46 percent of likely voters surveyed, and Sestak trailing only four points at 42 percent.
Specter received several high-profile endorsements during the final weeks leading up to the primary. Senator John Kerry, who had been an early supporter of Sestak's
As the campaign entered its final week, polls showed Specter and Sestak at a dead heat, with different surveys reporting contradictory findings over which candidate maintained a slight edge. A Quinnipiac University poll found Specter leading 44–42 percent, with fourteen percent undecided. A Franklin & Marshall poll found Sestak ahead 38–36 percent, with about a quarter of voters undecided. In both cases, the lead fell within the survey's margin of error.[104] G. Terry Madonna, director of the Franklin & Marshall poll, said that Sestak improved because his television commercials were resonating with voters on three fronts: the arguments that Specter switched parties for solely political reasons, that he consistently voted for Republican policies and that he had been in office too long.[5]
Polling
Poll source | Dates administered | Arlen Specter |
Joe Sestak |
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Quinnipiac | May 16, 2010 | 41% | 42% |
Muhlenberg/Morning Call | May 16, 2010 | 44% | 44% |
Muhlenberg/Morning Call | May 15, 2010 | 44% | 43% |
Daily Kos/Research 2000 | May 14, 2010 | 43% | 45% |
Muhlenberg/Morning Call | May 14, 2010 | 45% | 43% |
Suffolk Archived 2010-05-16 at the Wayback Machine | May 13, 2010 | 40% | 49% |
Muhlenberg/Morning Call | May 13, 2010 | 44% | 44% |
Franklin & Marshall | May 12, 2010 | 36% | 38% |
Quinnipiac | May 12, 2010 | 44% | 42% |
Muhlenberg/Morning Call | May 12, 2010 | 45% | 45% |
Muhlenberg/Morning Call | May 11, 2010 | 43% | 47% |
Muhlenberg/Morning Call | May 10, 2010 | 42% | 47% |
Rasmussen Reports | May 10, 2010 | 42% | 47% |
Muhlenberg/Morning Call | May 9, 2010 | 42% | 46% |
Muhlenberg/Morning Call | May 8, 2010 | 42% | 44% |
Muhlenberg/Morning Call | May 7, 2010 | 43% | 43% |
Quinnipiac | April 28 – May 2, 2010 | 47% | 39% |
Muhlenberg/Morning Call | May 2, 2010 | 48% | 42% |
Rasmussen Reports | April 13, 2010 | 44% | 42% |
Quinnipiac | March 31 – April 5, 2010 | 53% | 32% |
Rasmussen Reports | March 15, 2010 | 48% | 37% |
Quinnipiac | February 22–28, 2010 | 53% | 29% |
Rasmussen Reports | February 8, 2010 | 51% | 36% |
Rasmussen Reports | January 18, 2010 | 53% | 32% |
Quinnipiac | December 8, 2009 | 53% | 30% |
Rasmussen Reports | December 8, 2009 | 48% | 35% |
Rasmussen Reports | October 13, 2009 | 46% | 42% |
Quinnipiac | September 28, 2009 | 44% | 25% |
Rasmussen Reports | August 11, 2009 | 47% | 34% |
Quinnipiac | July 19, 2009 | 55% | 23% |
Franklin/Marshall | June 25, 2009 | 33% | 13% |
Rasmussen Reports | June 17, 2009 | 51% | 32% |
Quinnipiac | May 28, 2009 | 50% | 21% |
POS | May 3, 2009 | 62% | 24% |
Results
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Primary victory speech by Sestak, Valley Forge Military Academy , May 18, 2010, C-SPAN |
Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
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Democratic | Joe Sestak | 568,563 | 53.8 | |
Democratic | Arlen Specter (incumbent) | 487,217 | 46.2 | |
Total votes | 1,055,780 | 100.0 |
Sestak won the May 18 primary with 53.8 percent of the vote, or 568,563 of the votes cast, compared to 46.2 percent and 487,217 votes for Specter.[105] The defeat led to the end of Specter's nearly 30-year Senate career, the longest of any Pennsylvania Senator in history.[102][106] Afterward, Sestak declared, "This is what democracy should look like: a win for the people over the establishment. It should come as no surprise to anyone that people want a change." Specter conceded defeat and said, "It's been a great privilege to serve the people of Pennsylvania. It's been a great privilege to be in the United States Senate."[102] Commentators suggested Specter's defeat signaled an electorate unsatisfied with the establishment in both major parties, and indicated that the backing of prominent politicians had little effect on voters during this political age.[106] Sestak's victory was seen as a minor embarrassment for Obama, who strongly and publicly advocated for Specter during the race.[63][106] Several news outlets reflected that Sestak's television advertisements condemning Specter as a hypocrite and opportunist were especially effective and may have been the primary factor in his victory.[6][107][108] The Washington Post said the Pennsylvania race drew more attention than any other primary election in 2010 due to Specter's longevity and his switch to the Democratic party.[3]
Toomey went on to defeat Sestak in the
Clinton job offer to Sestak
While the White House may think this is politics as usual, what is spectacularly unusual is when a candidate – a U.S. congressman no less – freely acknowledges such a proposal. Almost always candidates keep quiet about such deals, and for good reason – they are against the law.
Congressman Darrell Issa[111]
During a February 2010 television interview, Sestak said that in July 2009, he was offered a job in President Obama's administration if he dropped out of the race.[112] During a February 18 taping of Larry Kane: Voice of Reason, a Philadelphia-area local news show, host Larry Kane asked Sestak whether such an offer had been made, to which Sestak responded, "Yes", without elaborating beyond that it was a high-ranking assignment and that he did not plan to take it.[113][114] In subsequent press inquiries, Sestak repeatedly stood by his original statement. When asked about the matter by The Washington Post, he said, "There has been some indirect means in which they were trying to offer things if I got out." Likewise, during an appearance on the Fox News Channel, he said, "I was asked a direct question yesterday, and I answered it honestly. There's nothing more to go into. I'm in this race now."[113] Over the next month, White House officials did not answer multiple press inquiries about whether Sestak's claims were true. On March 16, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said he had reviewed the matter and found conversations that had been held with Sestak were "not problematic."[115]
In March, Congressman
Bauer said that nobody in the administration itself directly discussed the offer with Sestak, and he does not believe there was anything improper, illegal or unethical about the conduct. Republicans in Congress disagreed, arguing the action contradicted claims Obama made during his
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Fitzgerald, Thomas (May 2, 2010). "Specter, Sestak focus on honor". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. B01.
- ^ a b c d e Lorber, Janie (July 13, 2009). "For Pa. Senate Seat, Words Fly Between Specter and Sestak". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 12, 2011. Retrieved November 5, 2010.
- ^ a b Balz, Dan; Cillizza, Chris (May 19, 2010). "Sen. Arlen Specter loses Pennsylvania primary; Rand Paul wins in Kentucky". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 7, 2011. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
- ^ a b c Giroux, Greg (April 17, 2010). "GOP Senate Candidates Fatten Bank Accounts". Roll Call. Archived from the original on October 1, 2015. Retrieved July 30, 2011.
- ^ a b Schultheis, Emily (May 12, 2010). "Poll: Specter-Sestak race becomes a 'nail-biter'". Philadelphia Daily News. p. B07.
- ^ a b "The crushing of Arlen Specter". The Economist. May 20, 2010. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
- ^ a b Leibovich, Mark (April 13, 2008). "Chris Matthews, Seriously. (O.K., Not That Seriously.)". The New York Times Magazine. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
- ^ Lieberman, Brett (July 27, 2008). "Primetime Player? 'Hardball's' Chris Matthews won't discuss a run for Senate, but the prospect has others talking". The Patriot-News. Archived from the original on September 11, 2012. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
- ^ Colbert, Stephen (April 14, 2008). "Season 14, Ep 33: Nathaniel Frank". The Colbert Report. Season 4. Episode 48. New York City. Comedy Central. Archived from the original on June 28, 2010. Retrieved November 7, 2010.
- ^ Carter, Bill (October 22, 2008). "Political Futures; From TV to the Senate?". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
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External links