Senator Arlen Spector turned defector - again

Arlen Spector (pictured) started out as a Democrat, spent 43 years as a Republican and then abruptly switched parties last week in a naked bid to save his political career.

Senator Arlen Spector is a Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-Democrat from Pennsylvania. Spector is apparently more of an opportunist than a politician with any real party loyalty.

He is rapidly discovering that switching parties is not as simple as checking a new box on a voter-registration card.

After a week and a day as a Democrat, Mr. Specter is viewed with suspicion by his new Democratic colleagues, with general disdain by his old Republican friends.

Democrats for now have stripped away his seniority on Senate committees, though he hopes to get them back but there is no guarantee.

Behind the scenes, he was scrambling to find money to save the jobs of several aides after losing the payroll authority that came with his position as senior Republican on the Judiciary Committee and various subcommittees.

Mr. Specter, who is up for re-election next year, concluded that he could not win a Republican primary.

But can he win the seat as a Democrat?

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