PA-Sen: Will Joe Sestak Challenge and Beat Arlen Specter? – Updated

To eliminate any doubt, I am a Republican and I am running for re-election in 2010 as a Republican on the Republican ticket.

Further, the NRSC is reminding Democratic voters of Specter’s close relationship with one George W. Bush.  Ideologically, Specter isn’t all of a sudden going to be a “loyal Democrat,” his words notwithstanding; and, personally, Specter has displayed that he is not trustworthy and that he’ll put personal politics well ahead of any principles.

So what are Democrats who want to support a real Democrat for Senate in Pennsylvania to do?

I think the answer to that question is: urge Congressman Joe Sestak to challenge Specter in the Democratic primary.  Why Joe Sestak?  A few reasons.

First, who could beat Arlen Specter in a Democratic primary?  Based solely on my looking over the field of potential Democratic candidates, I think only three names spring up: Sestak, Congresswoman Allyson Schwartz, and state Auditor Jack Wagner.  Schwartz has reportedly already decided against a Specter challenge.  Weeks ago, Wagner was reported to not be interested in a Senate bid.  (All due respect to announced candidate Joe Torsella and his solid $600,000 Q1 haul – my guess is that much of it came from contacts through Torsella’s poltiical mentor, Rendell, who could turn off the spigots in Q2.)  Sestak, however, refused to close the door to a run in the immediate wake of Specter’s announcement.

Subsequently, Sestak has further widened the door to a primary challenge.  He has been “playing phone tag” over the past few days with DSCC Chair Bob Menendez.  Further, Sestak “feels strongly” that Democratic voters in Pennsylvania, not Washington dealmakers, should decide who the nominee will be.  Click here for video of Sestak on MSNBC’s Morning Joe this morning; and click here for audio of Sestak on The Bill Press Show.

Second, can Sestak put together and finance a credible campaign, even with Ed Rendell pushing Pennsylvania Democrats toward Specter?  Yes.  At the end of March, Sestak had a bankroll in excess of $3.3 million.  Just pulling an estimate out of the air, Sestak might only need $5 million for the primary, so he’s two-thirds of the way there already.

Third, would his politics be an upgrade over Specter?  According to the National Journal’s 2008 Vote Ratings, Congressman Sestak was the 150th most liberal member and the 277th most conservative member.  He also has a Progressive Punch score of 93.25.  By no means is Sestak a liberal – but he’s very solid.  Further, he brings a powerful profile: the highest-ranking former military officer to serve in Congress who happens to also be leading the charge on revoking Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.  Sestak is 100% pro-choice, has enjoyed big support from labor, and gets high marks on middle class issues.

Add it all up.  Congressman Sestak has the profile, the resources, and the will to run.  He would be a major upgrade over the status quo.  He may be the only person who could ensure that a real Democrat is nominated for Senate over Arlen Specter.

Will he make the jump?  Stay tuned.

UPDATE: Adam Green, the brains behind the “One Dollar a Day to Make Norm Coleman Go Away” effort, had an idea for PA-Sen.  Says Green:

On the very day Arlen Specter became a Democrat, he lamented that not enough right-wing Bush judges got confirmed, he opposed workers’ right to organize, and he compared himself to Joe Lieberman. The DSCC and Pennsylvania Democratic Party will be supporting Specter in the primary.If there is a potential progressive challenger to Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania, they are probably scratching their head right now asking, “Would I have any chance at all if I ran, or is the fix in?”

What can progressives to do create an environment where this person feels they can run?Legally, we can’t put money in a pot for a fictional candidate. But we can pledge now that if a real progressive steps up, we’ll get their back.So, here’s a little experiment. I just created a Facebook fan page (like a Facebook group) called “I support a real progressive against Arlen Specter.“People who join are pledging to give at least $25 to a credible progressive challenger who steps up. It’ll either succeed or flop — and that will solely be determined by whether the energy is there for people to join and pass it along to their friends.

If enough folks join, media will probably pay attention — but more important, a progressive challenger would be paying attention. If not many people join…same thing. The destiny of a “challenge Specter” movement is in your hands. And the window to make this idea credible is likely short.

I joined.  It’d be super cool if you did, too.