The defeat of Sen. Arlen Specter, the longest serving senator in Pennsylvania history, marks the end of a political era.
It also proves that Washington politicians that lived by the rule of political expediency are finished, as far as American voters are concerned.
The Specter defeat also is a blow to Barack Obama’s political power. Specter strongly backed Obama’s $787 billion stimulus package and his massive healthcare overhaul.
Though Obama strongly backed Specter, and put his political muscle behind the turncoat Republican, along with the powerful political machine of Democratic Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell, Democratic voters sent a jarring message Tuesday night by picking maverick and conservative Joe Sestak as their nominee.
Initially, Specter's April 2009 abandonment of the Republican Party appeared to be a Houdini-like escape.
It enabled him to avoid a primary slugfest against GOP challenger and former Congressman Pat Toomey, a contest that polls showed Specter losing.
Specter believed he had an ace in the hole. He could trade his support in the Senate for Democratic support. In return, he would give President Obama and Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid the coveted 60th vote to head off a GOP filibuster over healthcare reform.
The deal was set, but it ignored one crucial player: the voters of Pennsylvania.
Traitor. Don't let the door hit ya on the way out.
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