Arlen Specter

Senator from Pennsylvania

SENATEREPUBLICAN→DEMOCRAT1981–2011ID S000709

LegislationHEADLINE

45%with Dems

of 5,473 votes

Nominations

38%with Dems

of 124 · confirmations only

All contested

45%with Dems

of 5,597 · both combined

Steepest move

+34 pts

2007 → 2009

the label changed

Changed parties

111th

R → D · first Congress under it

votes moved after

Career arc

Legislation leads. Each point is one Congress: how often they sided with the Democratic majority on contested bills, resolutions and amendments.

100%75%50%25%0%sides with Democrats ↑sides with Republicans ↓19811987199319992005R→D · 111th

2009–10111th Congress

Sat as a Democrat

81.3%with Democrats

legislation only

Votes for this Congress are open below

Steepest move: 2007 → 2009, +34 pts — the Congress the label changed.

Sat as a DemocratSat as a RepublicanVotes available below

Votes

DateBillVoteTypeCastSided with

Dec 22, 2010noneMary Helen Murguia, of Arizona, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth CircuitNOMINATIONYEABOTH · NOT SCORED

Dec 22, 2010noneTreaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, signed in Prague on April 8, 2010, with ProtocolLEGISLATIONYEADEM MAJORITY

Dec 21, 2010noneTo provide that the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification of the New START Treaty is subject to an understanding regarding the non-use of covers by the Russian Federation that tend to interfere with Type One inspections and accurate warhead counting, is subject to the United States and the Russian Federation reaching an agreement regarding access and monitoring, and is subject to a certification that the Russian Federation has agreed that it will not deny telemetric exchanges on new ballistic missile systems it deploys during the duration of the Treaty.LEGISLATIONNAYDEM MAJORITY

Full textTo provide that the advice and consent of the Senate to ratification of the New START Treaty is subject to an understanding regarding the non-use of covers by the Russian Federation that tend to interfere with Type One inspections and accurate warhead counting, is subject to the United States and the Russian Federation reaching an agreement regarding access and monitoring, and is subject to a certification that the Russian Federation has agreed that it will not deny telemetric exchanges on new ballistic missile systems it deploys during the duration of the Treaty.Party majoritiesDemocrats Nay · Republicans YeaCounts toward scoreYes — the parties split.

Where this lands

NAYSided with the Democratic majority

Open roll call

Dec 21, 2010noneTo require a certification that the President has negotiated a legally binding side agreement with the Russian Federation that the Russian Federation will not deploy a significant number of nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missiles during the duration of the New START Treaty.LEGISLATIONNAYDEM MAJORITY

Dec 21, 2010noneTo provide an understanding that provisions adopted in the Bilateral Consultative Commission that affect substantive rights or obligations under the Treaty are those that create new rights or obligations for the United States and must therefore be submitted to the Senate for its advice and consent.LEGISLATIONNAYDEM MAJORITY

Dec 21, 2010noneTo provide a condition regarding the return of stolen United States military equipment.LEGISLATIONYEADEM MAJORITY

Dec 21, 2010noneTo amend the Treaty to provide for a clear definition of rail-mobile missiles.LEGISLATIONNAYDEM MAJORITY

Dec 21, 2010noneTreaty between the United States of America and the Russian Federation on Measures for the Further Reduction and Limitation of Strategic Offensive Arms, signed in Prague on April 8, 2010, with ProtocolLEGISLATIONYEADEM MAJORITY

Dec 21, 2010noneWilliam Joseph Martinez, of Colorado, to be United States District Judge for the District of ColoradoNOMINATIONYEADEM MAJORITY

9 most recent roll calls shown · 502 contested votes scored in the 111th CongressAll votes this Congress →

By policy area

career · legislation

Economics and Public Finance43.1% · 1,909 votes

Armed Forces and National Security44% · 529 votes

Taxation40.5% · 395 votes

Government Operations and Politics34.6% · 332 votes

Health68.9% · 225 votes

International Affairs49.3% · 219 votes

Finance and Financial Sector48.3% · 176 votes

Agriculture and Food45.1% · 164 votes

Labor and Employment54.4% · 149 votes

Immigration54.2% · 142 votes

Crime and Law Enforcement28.8% · 139 votes

Transportation and Public Works57.7% · 137 votes

Education44.8% · 125 votes

Foreign Trade and International Finance54.5% · 123 votes

Energy41.1% · 95 votes

Congress34.1% · 88 votes

Social Welfare46.8% · 79 votes

Science, Technology, Communications36% · 50 votes

Public Lands and Natural Resources42.9% · 49 votes

Commerce64.6% · 48 votes

Environmental Protection41.7% · 48 votes

Emergency Management51.2% · 41 votes

Law20% · 40 votes

Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues74.4% · 39 votes

Water Resources Development36% · 25 votes

Sports and Recreation36.4% · 22 votes

Housing and Community Development71.4% · 21 votes

Families40% · 10 votes

Too few contested votes to score

Native Americans— · 9 votes

Commemorations— · 8 votes

They also voted in 1 area where the parties never split, so there is nothing to score — never on a contested question: Social Sciences and History.

Blue is the share of votes siding with the Democratic majority; the tick marks 50%.

Service record

15 Congresses

97th · 1981111th · 2009

Republican · Senate · PA97th–110th

Democrat · Senate · PA111th–111th

Term datesexact

Arlen Specter

Senator from Pennsylvania

SENATER→D1981–201115 CONGRESSES

Compare

LegislationHEADLINE

45%with Democrats

of 5,473 votes · 55% with Republicans

Nominations38%of 124 votes

All contested45%of 5,597 · combined

Steepest move+34 pts2007→09, as a Democrat

Changed parties111thR→D · votes moved after

Career arc

100500R→D19812009

2009–10 · 111th · Democrat81.3%

Legislation leads. Tap a point to read that Congress.

Votes

Democratic majorityNay

Republican majorityYea

Counts toward scoreYes

Open roll call

Latest 6 shown · 502 contested votes scored in the 111th

By policy area

career

Economics and Public Finance43.1% · 1,909

Armed Forces and National Security44% · 529

Taxation40.5% · 395

Government Operations and Politics34.6% · 332

Health68.9% · 225

International Affairs49.3% · 219

Finance and Financial Sector48.3% · 176

Agriculture and Food45.1% · 164

Labor and Employment54.4% · 149

Immigration54.2% · 142

Crime and Law Enforcement28.8% · 139

Transportation and Public Works57.7% · 137

Education44.8% · 125

Foreign Trade and International Finance54.5% · 123

Energy41.1% · 95

Congress34.1% · 88

Social Welfare46.8% · 79

Science, Technology, Communications36% · 50

Public Lands and Natural Resources42.9% · 49

Commerce64.6% · 48

Environmental Protection41.7% · 48

Emergency Management51.2% · 41

Law20% · 40

Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority Issues74.4% · 39

Water Resources Development36% · 25

Sports and Recreation36.4% · 22

Housing and Community Development71.4% · 21

Families40% · 10

Native Americans— · 9

Commemorations— · 8

Also voted in 1 area where the parties never split — never on a contested question: Social Sciences and History.

Service record

97th · 1981111th · 2009

Republican97th–110th

Democrat111th–111th

Other party switchers

John Alexander LoganD→R · IL · 40th Wesley Wade WatkinsD→R · OK · 105th Ben Nighthorse CampbellD→R · CO · 104th