WaPo:Primaries may help foreshadow November elections ...wtf?

[spanone]

Tuesday's crucial primary elections in Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Arkansas have drawn extraordinary attention from politicians and strategists in both parties who are eager to read an unsettled electorate.

But the results are not likely to offer a single satisfying answer to how big Democratic losses might be in November. Rather, Tuesday's voters will drop clues on a variety of questions, about anti-incumbent sentiment, "tea party" power and presidential popularity. Most attention remained focused on Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.), who made a final appeal to voters in his new party Monday, asking them to extend his 30-year career in Washington. Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.), Specter's challenger in the Senate primary, claimed momentum in the closing days of the campaign, and polls showed the race was too close to call.

Specter, who switched parties last year, has the backing of President Obama, Vice President Biden, Gov. Edward G. Rendell and much of the Democratic establishment. But Sestak has run an effective insurgent's campaign highlighted by a devastating ad that portrayed Specter as a political turncoat motivated to change parties only to save his job.

A Specter loss would mark the third defeat for a sitting senator in less than two weeks and highlight anti-incumbent sentiment in the country confronting Democrats and Republicans -- though switchers often have trouble winning the allegiance of their new party's rank-and-file. Sen. Robert F. Bennett (R-Utah) and Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (D-W.Va.) already have been defeated.



http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/17/AR2010051704057.html?hpid=topnews

[PM Martin]

1. The NY Times has a hit piece against Mr. Blumenthal.

http://twitter.com/marcambinder
It is only natural that the post would follow suit.

[blue neen]

2. I see the Specter situation as a little more complicated than just anti-incumbency.

He did change from Republican to Democrat, essentially changing his political philosphy.

Also, many people I know who may end up voting for Sestak have nothing against President Obama.

IMHO, it's a state race, not a national referendum.

[spanone]

4. sestak is an incumbent too. i don't get that part.

he's a member of congress

[blue neen]

5. Exactly. The battle really is between the two candidates.

Here in PA right now, it's not about the country. It's about PA.

[Bitwit1234]

3. If Specter you can't really call it against and incumbent

He was a republican and switched to a Democrat. Most Democratic voters would likely be uncomfortable with that. That would be what it shows. Now in some of the other races, Arkansas and Lincoln that would be a test.