Specter shocker: Bad for John Cornyn

Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter's stunning decision to switch from the GOP to the Democratic Party is a body blow to Sen. John Cornyn, who is the chairman of the Senate Republican re-election committee.

Cornyn, who leaned on Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison to stay this year to ensure Democrats didn't reach a filibuster-proof 60 majority, is now looking at a Senate with 60 Democrats. There are 58 Democrats -- with Specter it will be 59 -- and analysts anticipate that the disputed Minnesota race will end with Democrat Al Franken being seated. Franken won the latest legal round and leads former Sen. Norm Coleman by 312 votes.

Specter (above), up for re-election in 2010 for his 6th term, was facing a conservative opponent in the GOP primary. According to Specter, he decided to switch when polls showed him behind.

Cornyn, who had written a letter to Keystone Republicans last month supporting Specter, was blunt in reacting to the switch: “Senator Specter’s decision today represents the height of political self-preservation. While this presents a short-term disappointment, voters next year will have a clear choice to cast their ballots for a potentially unbridled Democrat super-majority versus the system of checks-and-balances that Americans deserve.”

The National Republican Senatorial Committee said Specter made his move "in the face of a seemingly insurmountable bid for re-election next year."

-- Maria Recio

Comments

[sgmorr]

The Republican Party is increasingly becoming a fringe party of ultra rightwingers. They are destroying themselves from the inside out. More power to them!

[Gary]

The country needs to have a second political party as an alternative to the Democrats. Unfortunately, as it is presently constituted and led, the Republican Party is not it; it is a European-style ideological movement, which rewards incompetent yes men and punishes any dissent within the party (and also tends to be wrong a lot more often than it is right). Ein Land, Ein Volk, Ein Führer. Instead of treating Specter as a good Republican who has to break ranks occasionally to please his constituency, they work to defeat him in the next primary. Welcome to America's Party, Arlen!

[Former Republican]

Many Republicans and moderates are realizing the current Republican Party is not the party they originally signed on for. Countless scandals, too-numerous-to-count Bush administration failings, forever wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, torture, the collapse of the entire world economy and a general lack of direction and leadership have all contributed. The failure to recognize American and Texas needs and values has left this half-empty ship adrift in rough waters.

[Bill God Bless America]

If it takes "ultra right wingers" to keep us from full fledge socialism/marxism Im all for it........

[Bill God Bless America]

The " ultra far left " is what is ruining this country as we speak !

[Rorschach]

So much for the Republicans' "Big Tent". Strict allegiance to extremist conservative orthodoxy or there's no room for you. Ask Arlen Specter.

[BELLCORD]

THE RICHLY DESERVED REPUBLICAN DEATH SPIRAL JUST NUDGED THE THROTTLE ANOTHER NOTCH CLOSER TO THE FIREWALL...

[Obamaall theway]

Hehehehe!!!!!!

[JR]

The only real effect of Arlen Specter's switch to the Dem side is a noticeable decrease in the use of the term "RINO".

Specter has been in bed with the left for so long now that has gotten bed sores.

It will be fun watching the Dem's do their best to destroy him in the Democrat primaries. The Democrats don't want a moderate, they want their Senator's to be as far left as possible. Running as a Dem or a Republican, this is Specter's last term, and I am very thankful for that.

[richard colonel]

I cannot believe that the Republican Party cannot back the President Obamawho is doing every thing that he can to reverse the trend of the previous President's administration. It is high time that Sen. Cornyn and his fellow Republicans sit up and pay attention to the only President we have at this time. Work togethernot against each other. Let's get these United States going again. It was done before and it can be done again. And we need to stop this talk of breaking up the United States. We are a nation of immigrants and English is the major language of this country. Our senators and representatives need to focus on that and stop wasting ink by printing everything in other languages for the convenience of those who will not bother to learn our language. So Senators get busy and do what is right. Give this country back to the U.S. citizens and stop recruiting mercernaries from other countries. If new recruits are not citizens they should not be in the American Military.

[catfish5437]

The title of this article tells it all: Anything that is bad for John Cornyn is bound to be good for America.

[C B Mays]

Good Riddance. He was a Democrat anyway. A fellow traveler. He voted for and supported the Demos more than the GOP. He was due to be thrown out next election by voters and saw the writing on the wall. Now we can get a true Republican in his place next election. There are 2-3 other Senators that need to switch to the Demos too.

[feihC]

What a joke! Everyone says dems won the elections because people are no longer as conservative and are moving to the middle. Total B.S. The real deal is that there are so many RINOS that no longer hold Conservative values and no one showed up to vote for one (McLame) on Nov. 4th. When the Republican Party gets back to true Conservative values we will vote them back in again. And after the Demoncrats get through raping the American people we will see them voted out in 2010 and esp. 2012. But the damage is already worse than anytime in history in only 100 days.... Liberals are nothing but rabid dogs that need to be euthanized and the next election will take care of it.

[RevJL]

After 8 years of Democrats in power it will all shift back to the Repubs ....... same story different decade.

This country is DOOMED ............

The Roman Empire failed due to "GREED" and "CORRUPTION" .... luckily, we have an abundance of both in this once great nation.

Yes, We are DOOMED with the current so called leaders of this country ....... no light at the end of this tunnel just the darkness of the Abyss.

Good Luck to all of us.

[Donald True]

Spector may not be the asset Democrats think he will be. He's already said he would not be the 60th vote and that he opposses the card check bill. I am skeptical of his value to President Obama's policies.

[wildthang]

to CB Mays... Specter only voted with the Dems 40% of the time, but we're hoping he'll bump that up now that he doesn't have the fire-breathing wackos to worry about (see feihC). And, if you all want to give up 2-3 more Senators, we'll take em! Good luck to you and feidC getting "true" Republicans elected. You might want to encourage tactics other than chicanery and denigration next time round.

[sgmorr]

I'm having great difficulty understanding the Republican spin and strategy these days. It seems the hardliners are happy to have moderate Republicans leave the party and happy to have moderate Republican voters vote Democratic. It seems like the GOP is purposely doing everything possible to remove itself from the mainstream of American thought and activity. Fine with me really, but very confusing. Is there some kind of master plan here at work?

But just tell me who the GOP thinks they are going to be left with after all this bloodletting, self destruction and self mutilation? People like Cheney, Perry, Mitch McConnell, Limbaugh, Hannity, O'Reilly, that skinny blond woman, and a handful of others? And all they can do is spout hatred toward President Obama and the large majority who elected him? The traditional Republican party is definitely a thing of the past. Regan wouldn't recognize this currently beastly version of the GOP.

One thing for certain, the Republicans ain't goin' to need no big tent to house their party members any longer. All they need are a couple of two person pup tents while the Dems can use all the giant Cirque du Soleil tents they can get!

[koneill8]

Arlen,
Welcome home.

[jonguu]

Maybe the guy wanted to continue to serve the majority of his constituency (in keeping with his oath of office);rather than a delusional political party.

[RF]

The GOP is in this sorry state because jerks like Cornyn care more about getting their fellow patricians re-elected, national defense, fiscal responsibility, and your grandkids be damned. Now the marxists are in power because they promised to legislate everybody into wealth and the GOP went right along with them.

The U.S. has become nothing but another 3rd world s**t hole, and there's nowhere left to go to start anew. At least we can kick Cornyn out and get someone responsible in there in the meantime.