Torsella seeks to build coalition of Dems who won’t accept Specter

From Democrat Pennsylvania Senate candidate Joe Torsella’s perspective, Sen. Arlen Specter’s decision to switch parties hasn’t changed the dynamic of the race very much and has provided an opportunity to capitalize on a group of Democrats that won’t accept the Specter into the party.

Mark Nevins, a spokesman for Torsella, told the BBR the campaign was already preparing to take on Specter, now it is just having to move up its timetable.

“In some ways, nothing has changed,” Nevins said. “Joe still wants to talk about new ideas and innovative solutions for the old problems.

“We’re still running against Arlen Specter, who has a 45-year career in politics and voted with George W. Bush 75 percent of the time.”

Nevins said he believes running against Specter in the primary will only increase Torsella’s chances because it will make it easier to contrast Torsella’s Democratic credentials against Specter’s Republican ones.

The campaign, Nevins said, has heard from activist, or grassroots, Democrats who have encouraged Torsella to stay in the race. Nevins also said he believes there is an opportunity to capitalize on a backlash against Specter among Democrats.

“I certainly think there will be a core of Democrats in the primary who cannot stomach the idea of voting for a guy who just a few years ago was standing on stage in the warm embrace of George W. Bush,” Nevins said. “There is an opportunity to build a coalition of Democratic voters in the primary who aren’t willing to accept Arlen Specter as a Democrat.”

jeremy.jacobs@digital-staging.thehill.com