Pennsylvania Senator Leaves GOP to Join Democratic Party

Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania announced April 28 that he is leaving the Republican Party to join the Democratic Caucus in the Senate and will run as a democrat when he is up for re-election in 2010. His decision could mean that democrats in the Senate will have the 60 vote super majority needed to overcome opposition from the minority if democrat Al Franken of Minnesota is seated. Supporters of the Employee Free Choice Act (Card Check bill) had hoped that Specter would be one of a few republicans to cross the aisle and vote in favor of the bill. Specter announced in March that he would not support the Card Check bill. In announcing his move to the Democratic Party, Specter stated that he would not become a party-line voter for the democrats and would not change his position on Card Check.