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It is unfortunate that centrists like Sens. Arlen Specter and Blanche Lincoln were defeated or forced into runoffs in the recent primaries, as they are the voice of reason and moderation and are critical in getting legislation passed (“Be Afraid, All You Incumbents,” May 20).
It seems like voters were in an anti-incumbent, anti-establishment, anti-government and anti-Washington mood, which may not bode well for incumbents in the upcoming elections.
As the political chasm widens, our country will be in a standstill, and it will be difficult to get anything approved.
Kenneth Zimmerman
Huntington Beach, Calif.
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A key factor that should not be overlooked in dissecting the primary election drubbing of 80-year-old, five-term senator and newly-minted Democrat Specter is the extent to which it is a repudiation of liberal, big-government Specter supporters, prominently including President Obama, Vice President Biden and Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell.
All of these individuals invested heavily in a Specter win. He appeared with his friends as he campaigned, yet they were told by the electorate to go pound salt.
The loss of Specter’s opportunism and the rejection of the endorsement of elected officials who have disavowed the wishes of their constituents may signal a new day in national politics. Hallelujah.
Oren M. Spiegler
Upper Saint Clair, Pa.
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Gov. Rendell said of Specter’s defeat that if the economy were OK and there were no anti-incumbent wave, Specter would have won easily.
And if the Jets hadn’t imploded around him, Rich Kotite would’ve been a Hall of Fame football coach.
Gregg Nelson
Chester, NJ
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Rendell is delusional when he says that under different circumstances, Specter would have won easily.
The fact is that Specter was viewed by voters as a dead man walking. Given the choice between a faux Democrat like Specter and a real Democrat like Rep. Joe Sestak, Democratic voters were going to vote for the real McCoy.
The fact is that Democrats have voted against Specter for 30 years, and they were not going to vote for him now just because some out-of-touch people in the White House ordered them to do so.
Reba Shimansky
Manhattan
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It’s wishful thinking on the right to believe that last Tuesday’s election results have any great national meaning.
Indeed, in the only non-primary race, the special election in a western Pennsylvania for John Murtha’s old House seat, a Washington insider beat a very conservative Republican in a district John McCain carried in 2008.
As for Specter, all bad things must come to an end — and so it must be for the defector.
Gary Schwartz
Fort Lee, NJ
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I’m not sure why liberal Democrats are gloating over retaining the Murtha seat.
Their candidate, Mark Critz, appealed to its conservative Democratic base by repudiating the big-ticket items of the Obama agenda.
Not exactly a resounding endorsement of this administration’s left-lurching policies.
Ray Arroyo
Westwood, NJ
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Not only have voters shut out self-serving turncoat Specter, they have also put the country on the road to something it has needed for many years: term limits.
All the politicians who were brushed aside were longtime Washington or local pols.
I had always hoped that something would wake the American people up to produce real chance.
Long incumbencies breed corruption. Just look at New York’s pols: After so many years in office, it’s “you scratch my back; I’ll scratch yours.
We don’t need a buddy-buddy system. We need people to do their jobs and get out.
I hope the Tea Partiers keep it up.
Chris Michaels
Morganville, NJ