Arlen Specter
Arlen Specter (born February 12, 1930) is a United States Senator from Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Republican Party. He is one of the most moderate Senate Republicans, along with Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine), and Susan Collins (R-Maine).
Born in Wichita, Kansas, Specter studied at universities before and after serving in the United States Air Force from 1951 to 1953. He passed the Pennsylvania Bar in 1956. He soon became a prominent lawyer in Philadelphia, eventually becoming District Attorney. He worked with the Warren Commission investigating the assassination of John F. Kennedy. In 1980, Specter became the Republican candidate for Senate when Republican incumbent Richard Schweiker announced his retirement.
Specter won the election and was reelected in 1986, 1992 and 1998. He was chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence from 1995, when the Republicans gained control of the Senate, until 1997, when he became chairman of the Committee on Veterans Affairs. He chaired that committee until 2001, when the Republicans lost control of the Senate, becoming chairman again when they regained control in 2003. In 1998 and 1999 Specter criticized his own party for its impeachment of President Bill Clinton.
In 2004, Specter, who is often dubbed a "RINO" (Republican In Name Only) by more conservative critics, faced a challenge in the Republican primary election from Congressman Pat Toomey. Toomey charged that Specter was too liberal and too big a spender to represent the Republican Party. The match-up was closely watched nationally, being seen as a symbolic clash between the conservative and moderate wings of the Republican Party. With support from fellow Republican Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum and President George W. Bush, Spector narrowly won the primary with 52% of the vote. This primary battle is considered by some to have damaged his re-election hopes, putting him to the right of his past moderate stances. He faces Democratic Congressman Joe Hoeffel and Constitution Party candidate James Clymer in November 2004's general election. If re-elected, he will become Pennsylvania's first five-term Senator.
