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Pennsylvania鈥檚 Arlen Specter, a veteran Senate Republican, shocked the political world Tuesday when he announced he is becoming a Democrat.

The move by the 79-year-old, four-term senator could potentially give the Democratic Party its 60th vote in the Senate, allowing the party to halt filibusters without the help of any Republicans. The implications for President Obama鈥檚 agenda are significant, as he prepares reforms to the healthcare system, energy, and financial regulation.

Currently, Democrats hold 58 of the Senate鈥檚 100 seats, but if Democrat Al Franken prevails in his protracted battle with Republican Norm Coleman in their close Minnesota Senate contest, the addition of Senator Specter brings the number to 60. Mr. Franken is currently ahead, and Senator Coleman鈥檚 prospects look dim in his continuing court battle.

Which one changed?

Specter framed his decision to quit the troubled GOP as one of the party leaving him, not changes within himself.

鈥淪ince my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right,鈥� he said in a statement released early Tuesday afternoon. 鈥淟ast year, more than 200,000 Republicans changed their registration to become Democrats. I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans."

Senate majority leader Harry Reid immediately welcomed Specter to his team and hinted that he had been wooing him for some time: 鈥淪enator Specter and I have had a long dialogue about his place in an evolving Republican Party,鈥� Senator Reid said in a statement. 鈥淲e have not always agreed on every issue, but Senator Specter has shown a willingness to work in a bipartisan manner, put people over party, and do what is right for Pennsylvanians and all Americans.鈥�

Specter is known for his independent streak, and by no means will the 鈥淒鈥� after his name instead of an 鈥淩鈥� guarantee his cooperation on any given vote. But it at least creates a presumption of a Democratic leaning.

A reelection calculation

Specter鈥檚 switch also changes the calculation in what was shaping up to be a tough reelection battle in 2010. He faced a rerun of his 2004 primary against Pat Toomey, a former Pennsylvania congressman and former head of the fiscally conservative Club for Growth, which Specter barely won 51 to 49 percent.

Now, Specter should breeze to victory in the Democratic primary, with few declared candidates and none of his stature, and could face Mr. Toomey in the general. But given the travails of the Republican Party, both nationally and in Pennsylvania, Specter at this stage looks to be the favorite.

GOP's retort
A statement from the chairman of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele, had a 鈥済ood riddance鈥� tone to it, even though there is no doubt that the party is smarting over the high-profile rejection.

鈥淪ome in the Republican Party are happy about this. I am not,鈥� Mr. Steele said.
鈥淟et鈥檚 be honest 鈥� Senator Specter didn鈥檛 leave the GOP based on principles of any kind. He left to further his personal political interests because he knew that he was going to lose a Republican primary due to his left-wing voting record.

鈥淩epublicans look forward to beating Sen. Specter in 2010, assuming the Democrats don鈥檛 do it first.鈥�

The chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee also framed Specter鈥檚 decision as a self-centered one.

鈥淪enator Specter鈥檚 decision today represents the height of political self-preservation,鈥� said John Cornyn (R) of Texas in a statement. 鈥淲hile this presents a short-term disappointment, voters next year will have a clear choice to cast their ballots for a potentially unbridled Democrat supermajority versus the system of checks and balances that Americans deserve.鈥�

Liberals not overjoyed

Reaction from the left, which has long sought to oust Specter from his seat, was tempered. And Specter鈥檚 opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), legislation aimed at helping unions boost their membership, could make him a tough sell to a key Democratic constituency in Pennsylvania: organized labor. In his statement announcing his party switch, Specter said his position on EFCA, also known as 鈥渃ard check,鈥� would not change.

鈥淓ven as we applaud Specter for switching parties, we shouldn't simply concede the primary,鈥� writes liberal activist and columnist David Sirota on Huffington Post. 鈥淚ndeed, there needs to be a contested and vigorous primary, especially since Specter's EFCA announcement means he will need pressure on his left, and especially since the primary winner in the increasingly blue state of Pennsylvania has a great shot of defeating someone like Toomey."