What happened to Arlen Specter?
What happened to Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter? AP Photo/Alex Brandon A series of polls released over the last few days in the Pennsylvania Senate Democratic primary all point to a single indisputable fact: Sen. Arlen Specter has gone from heavy favorite to — at best — an even money bet in his race Tuesday against Rep. Joe Sestak. What happened? As always in campaigns, it’s never a single thing that led to the quick — and deep — erosion of Specter’s support. But, there are a few identifiable factors– courtesy of the Fix brain and conversations with several smart strategists — that made the race so close so late. * The Initial Switch: Specter, one of the most able politicians of his generation — you don’t get re-elected five times in Pennsylvania as a Republican unless you are very skilled — was badly off his game in the days immediately following his decision to switch parties last April. In explaining his decision to switch, Specter didn’t cite deep principles but rather his
