Outside the Beltway

Joe Sestak to Challenge Specter in Democratic Primary

Alex Knapp · Thursday, May 28, 2009 · 1 comment

Talking Points Memo is reporting that Rep. Joe Sestak from Pennsylvania will be challenging Arlen Specter in the Democratic Primary.

Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) is privately telling supporters that he intends to run for Senate, TPMDC has confirmed.

“He intends to get in the race,” says Meg Infantino, the Congressman’s sister, who works at Sestak for Congress. “In the not too distant future, he will sit down with his wife and daughter to make the final decision.”

The move would constitute a primary challenge to Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA), who intends to run for re-election in 2010, after having switched parties earlier this year.

Earlier today, a Sestak volunteer and contributor received a handwritten note from Sestak himself, announcing his intent to run and asking for a contribution.

You can see a scan of the note at the link. The most recent polling I could find on this matter basically indicates to me that Sestak is pretty much an unknown. That said, Specter is winning handily right now.

At this point, though, it’s too early to tell–polls are somewhat meaningless. My gut tells me that it’ll be close. A mid-term Primary is most likely going to be full of partisans who follow things closely. I don’t think that bodes well for Specter, but then again, I don’t know how Democratic partisans in Pennsylvania feel about Sestak, so it’s hard to call.

UPDATE (James Joyner):  David Kurtz is complaining, “CNN picks up TPM’s Sestak scoop — makes no mention of TPM. ” Alas, Big Media steal from one another all the time; why would they have any compunction about stealing from a blog?   For that matter, many an “exclusive” really isn’t.