WASHINGTON -Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter, one of the few moderate Republicans left in Congress, announced Tuesday that he was switching parties, a major gain for Democrats in their quest for a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate to propel President Barack Obama's ambitious agenda.
Specter's decision was also another log on the bonfire that is eating away at the GOP as a national political force. He has been one of only a handful of Republicans able to win elections while rejecting the strict anti-abortion, anti-spending, pro-gun-rights conservatism that now dominates the party.
Facing a stiff primary challenge from a conservative former House member, Pat Toomey, Specter on Tuesday said bluntly that he concluded he could win re-election only as a Democrat.
The announcement caught most of official Washington by surprise, stirring jubilation among Democrats and sending Republicans scurrying to insist it was a matter of local Pennsylvania politics, not a sign of a change in national politics.
Nonetheless, Specter's change of party affiliation reflected both his calculation of the present situation in his home state and what Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois described as a five-year effort by Democratic leaders to win him over.
Before going public with his decision, Specter spoke to and won commitments of support from Obama and Reid. Obama said that, if asked, he would campaign for Specter in Pennsylvania's Democratic primary - a venture into local politics that presidents usually avoid because it can lead to bruised feelings and divisions within the party.
The White House commitment, along with Reid's agreement not to penalize Specter in committee ranking, pointed to Specter's potential value to the Democrats.
If, as expected, a contested Minnesota Senate election is decided in favor of Democrat Al Franken over former Republican Sen. Norm Coleman, Specter would give the Democrats 58 members in the Senate. Adding two independents who usually align with them would create the 60-vote margin required to block a filibuster - the minority party's most powerful tool for stalling legislation.
That does not guarantee a sweeping change in the balance of power in the Senate.
"I will not be an automatic 60th vote," Specter declared.
