Arlen Specter steals the headlines - again

They've known Arlen Specter for years. They know he loves the spotlight. They know he relishes a surprise.

But veteran political observers of every stripe in Pennsylvania were taken aback yesterday when Specter announced that he was switching parties and would run for reelection to the U.S. Senate next year as a Democrat.

The move also left some Republicans fuming and could alter both national and state politics.

David L. Cohen, executive vice president of Comcast and a major Democratic fund-raiser, marveled at how Specter was able to command headlines.

"It takes a big announcement to wipe swine flu off the lead of every cable-news channel, and Arlen Specter has done it," said Cohen, a friend of the senator's. "I think people are stunned."

Democrat Joseph M. Hoeffel 3d, who ran against Specter in his last campaign, in 2004, said: "I would not have predicted this five years ago - or five hours ago.

Hoeffel, now a Montgomery County commissioner, said the move was logical for Specter. Polls showed that he was unlikely to beat former U.S. Rep. Pat Toomey in the GOP primary and that he stood a better chance of gaining a sixth term as a Democrat.

Hoeffel predicted that some other Democrats would not run for the Senate in order to clear the path for Specter.

"There were some good Pennsylvania Democrats who were thinking of running against Sen. Specter who obviously are being shoved aside," Hoeffel said. "That's unfortunate, but there are sometimes bigger issues that intervene, and this was one of those times."

Democratic joy at Specter's switch - and Republican anger - was shaped by knowledge that the 79-year-old Philadelphian could become the key vote for President Obama's legislative agenda.

"His decision is a huge blow to the Republicans' ability to moderate any of President Obama's very liberal proposals," former Sen. Rick Santorim (R., Pa.) said in a statement.

John Brabender, a Republican consultant from Pittsburgh, said many Republicans were livid at Specter's move.

"Arlen Specter said over and over again that he was not going to switch parties," Brabender said. "Then a poll comes out Friday showing him 21 points down, and then he switched parties. I don't know how anybody can perceive this is in any other way than as for political reasons."

Brabender said Specter's decision could have far-reaching impact on state politics.

For one thing, it could motivate a moderate Republican to enter the Senate race rather than concede the nomination to the deeply conservative Toomey.

Brabender, who is backing state Attorney General Tom Corbett in his bid for governor next year, said the move could also influence the governor's race.

Several candidates, including Corbett and former U.S. Attorney Patrick Meehan, are log-jammed in the primary field. Brabender suggested that Meehan might move over to run for the Senate, instead.

Meehan, once a protégé of Specter's, could not be reached for comment, although he issued a statement saying he was "disappointed with Sen. Specter's decision."

Alan Novak, a former state Republican chairman, said the switch "came out of left field" but was a matter of survival for Specter.

"I always try to look at politics pragmatically, and the story was in the numbers," said Novak, a lawyer in West Chester. "There was a strong likelihood he would not win that [GOP] primary."

Sen. Bob Casey, Specter's Democratic colleague from Pennsylvania, said that as a Democrat, Specter could help to "move forward President Obama's agenda on the economy."

Specter was one of three Senate Republicans to vote for the $787 billion stimulus package approved by Congress in February.

"He knows that sometimes to get things done, to move the ball forward, you have stick your neck out," Casey said.

A key vote for Specter this year will be on a bill to make it easier for labor unions to organize workers. He has said he would oppose the bill, which is a top priority for the state's large labor movement.

Unions, in the past, have often supported Specter. But Rick Bloomingdale, secretary-treasurer of the state AFL-CIO, said a "no" vote on the legislation would make it "very hard" for the federation to endorse him again.

Bloomingdale, however, noted that Specter has a history of changing his mind.

Now that Specter is a Democrat, Bloomingdale said, he might be persuaded to change his mind on this workplace bill, which is supported by most Democrats.

"We're going to keep the pressure on," Bloomingdale said. "We will continue to make the argument, and maybe we can change him."

One important Republican declined yesterday to bash Specter. Former Gov. Tom Ridge, in a statement, sounded almost conciliatory.

He said of Specter: "In no way does his departure from the Republican Party diminish his long record of service to his country and to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania."

at 610-313-8205 or tinfield@phillynews.com.

Inquirer staff writer Derrick Nunnally contributed to this article.