Joe Sestak Hammers Arlen Specter With Ad Showing Bush, Palin

The Pennsylvania Democratic Senate primary fight between Rep. Joe Sestak and Sen. Arlen Specter (who became a Democrat last year after almost 30 years as a Republican) is going down to the wire.

According to the latest Muhlenberg College tracking poll (PDF), Specter leads Sestak 48 percent - 40 percent, with 11 percent either not sure or choosing someone else.

Now Sestak has unveiled a tough new ad portraying Specter as a political opportunist who only became a Democrat so he can win reelection. (See it at left.)

The spot shows Specter saying his party change will allow him to remain in office as well as footage of President George W. Bush effusively praising Specter. It also includes a shot of Specter with Sarah Palin.

"Arlen Specter switched parties to save one job: his, not yours," an announcer says.

Specter has the backing of the Democratic establishment, which sees him as the better candidate for the general election; as Politico reports, the chairman of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party this week suggested a Sestak victory in the primary could have "cataclysmic" consequences.

"If we want to keep this seat in Democratic hands, the only person capable of delivering that victory is Arlen Specter," said chairman T.J. Rooney.

CBS News chief political consultant Marc Ambinder reports that a senior political strategist consulted by the White House believes there is a 50/50 chance Specter will lose.

Democrats are nervous about the race: President Obama is expected to campaign for Specter in the coming days, as Ambinder notes, and Sestak has indicated the White House offered him a high-ranking administration job in exchange for dropping out of the race, prompting calls for an investigation from GOP Rep. Darrell Issa. 

The primary takes place on May 18th.

[grayfrier]

Want proof he should not be in office look here http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/s001169/
the facts do not lie he choose to beg for reelection instead of fighting for the people of the Tri-State area he chose politicking over doing his job while Senator Spector stuck to it and did the job he was elected to do.
Senator put Pennsylvanians first Did Sleazestack NO! he decided that some votes that needed to be done were unimportant excuse me?
Look at those votes he missed then tell me they are unimportant!

[grayfrier]

Sestak should be sleaze I know people that work for this Pardon the inference man and they tell me the reports are true they get paid less ten minimum wage my lady friend had to go on welfare just to make ends meet and you fools look to him for not just the future but for help hope your ready to pay for that help Go get them No Show Joe!
Pitiful very pitiful
Spector has never turned his back on anyone that needed help nor did he charge for his help (donations) he is always available to everyone across the State no matter where they live not like Joe Sleazestak if you not from his area he won't even return your call if elected Delaware county and Philly county may as well give up hope because to him we do not exist if Senator Spector loses I hope its to a Republican at lest we have a chance at fairness.

[JECMA]

Aw, heck, Mr. Toomey is off target. Sestak beat a twenty year incumbent Congressman when he first ran in 2006. If he beats Specter, he'll have a 30 year incumbent Senator under his belt. In a Sestak-Toomey race I'd bet on Sestak.