Embedded Files
The 1992 Pennsylvania Senate election, a contest between two term Incumbent Arlen Specter, and Democratic head of Women's way / daughter of former Representative Porter Hardy Jr (D-VA) Lynn Yeakel resulted in the closest reelection for the longtime moderate Senator
A steadfastly pro-choice, & Tough on crime Sen, This election more than most placed Specter in between a rock & a hard place between the left & the GOP base, as after denying Robert Bork and supporting Clarence Thomas he had severely angered both sides of the political aisle
In fact, Specter went so far as to emotionally accuse Annita Hill, who testified that then Judge Thomas had sexually harrased her, committed Perjury in Thomas' Judiciary committee Confirmation hearing, to which Yeakel attacked him, asking "This did make you as mad as it made me?"
However, Yeakel was a flawed candidate, as she had payed $17,000 in back taxes to Philadelphia, was a horrible debater, and was denied the AFL-CIO endorsement due to the group's tacit aprooval of Specter.
Further, Specter, as a work horse in the senate, had a decade of constituent services he could pull up in order to argue to increase and maintain support.
Something which paid off as despite underperforming in the rural areas, Specter did extremely well in some traditional democratic areas such as NEPA, Allegheny, and his home turf of Philadelphia, carrying him to a 2.8% reelection - the closest of his career.
Specter won 123/203 House districts to Yaekel's 80/203 HDs, 29/50 SDs to Yaekel's 21/50 SDs, 51/67 Counties to Yeakel's 16/67 Counties, and 14/21 Congressional Districts to Yaekel's 7/21 CDs.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse