Things have changed in Pennsylvania and across the country since Arlen Specter switched parties last spring. Not only has the GOP won several key elections in a row, but Specter now finds himself in a race within his own party from Rep. Joe Sestak.

Many Democrats in Pennsylvania are still questioning the real motive as to why Specter changed parties – a group of people that Sestak is counting on for support. For most conservatives, there is no question as to why Specter switched parties due to the fact he voted with Democrats more often than he did with Republicans. Sestak has two things going against him; the first which is a lack of name recognition and the second which is his inability to keep up with Specter in fund raising. At the beginning of the year, he was trailing Specter by $3 million and is behind in most polls by a margin of 25% to 30%.

On the Republican side, former Representative and Club for Growth President Pat Toomey is making a strong bid to become a very competitive GOP challenger. Most recent polls reveal that Toomey has the lead over Specter in a general election match up. According to the pollster.com trend line, Toomey is leading Specter 45%-39%. Toomey also leads Sestak, 42%-33%. The Franklin and Marshall poll has Toomey leading Specter by 14% points. Most pollsters have now projected the Pennsylvania Senate to be a pick up for the GOP and CQ Politics has changed their rating from Leans Democratic to Tossup.

One irony is that Specter switched parties last year because he was concerned he could not beat Toomey a second time in a primary (the first was 2004). This probably has more to with anti-Washington and anti-incumbent feelings than it does with Specter’s concern for Toomey. Former Westmoreland County Democratic Committee Chairman Ken Burkley summed it up by saying, “The mood of the electorate is clearly anti-incumbent and anti-Washington. A guy who has been there 30 years cannot win in November and will not win in the primary.” Granted that is one man’s opinion, but it is one that is shared by many people. Voters are hungry for change, which is ironic following the Mantra of Obama which said, “Change you can believe in.” Due to the growing influence of grassroots conservatives, this hunger is not something that liberal Democrats can ignore.

Before Specter can worry too much about Toomey, he has to first get past Sestak in the primary before he faces Toomey in the November general election. Pennsylvania’s Democratic chairman T.J. Rooney said, “the party would be better off if U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak were to abandons his bid for Sen. Arlen Specter’s seat and instead seek a third term in the House.” Rooney went on to say a Sestak withdrawal would allow Specter to focus on the general-election campaign, while Sestak, a retired Navy vice admiral, could focus on retaining his seat representing the 7th District in suburban Philadelphia for two more years – saving the party money in an important election year. Rooney summed it up by saying, “To use a Navy metaphor, we need hands on deck this year.” Sestak’s campaign has stated its commitment to remaining in the race.