U.S. Representative Joe Sestak today said, "I'm in this race to win it, but at a time when it is convenient for my family." Sestak, just back from a swing through all 67 Pennsylvania counties, says he intends formally to enter but is not yet ready. He adds that he is in it though and "for the conviction, not convenience."
Of his tour of all the state's counties, Joe Sestak said he met wonderful people and the sign in Potter County that reads, "God's Country." In a conference call today, the Delaware County Congressman said his visits with Democratic officials, reporters and average citizens throughout the state confirm the findings of today's Quinnipiac Poll, which show about 7 in 10 Pennsylvanians are not familiar with him and that Specter leads him among Democrats by about 30-points. Says, Sestak, "There is a name recognition issue." But, he adds, he also found great interest.
Sestak says he had not intended to run for Senate but when no strong challenger, such as Congressman Patrick Murphy, or State Representative Josh Shapiro, entered the race, he decided to run because for Pennsylvanians, "not having a choice will not give us the right choice."
He says that having Arlen Specter there in the Senate, "is not as good as having an alternative who believes in Democratic principles." Sestak says he believes the general feeling among Democrats he met is that there was "a questionable euphoria" when they first heard Arlen Specter would be a Democrat because it would mean 60-votes in the Senate, but he says that has now turned to just "questions."
I asked him about Senator Arlen Specter's criticism of Sestak missing House votes as a Congressman and elections while he served in the Navy. Sestak said that while he was in the military he voted in every Presidential election or tried to but sometimes there were problems with the absentee ballot requests.
As for his service in the U.S. House, Sestak says he never missed an important vote and that if it missed other votes, it was for "a greater good." The Congressman says of Specter, "I understand the game that he's doing. I have record in the Democratic Party that I can run on and that he (Specter) can’t say that."
