Arlen Specter Through The Years

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Republican Sen. Arlen Specter To Announces Switch To Democratic PartyArlen Specter died at the age of 82 on October 14, 2012. This photo was taken April 28, 2009 in Washington, DC. (Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Supreme Court Nominee Samuel Alito Visits Capitol HillWASHINGTON - OCTOBER 31: U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) pauses as he speaks on the nomination of Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court during a news briefing on Capitol Hill October 31, 2005 in Washington, DC. The nomination of Alito has already sparkled concerns by Democrats that Alito might turn over the ruling regarding abortion. (Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

US Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Arlen SpecterWashington, UNITED STATES: US Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Arlen Specter, R-PA, holds a chart on abortion decisions made by the Supreme Court, during the second day of the confirmation hearings 13 September 2005 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC of Judge John Roberts' appointment to be the next chief justice. President George W. Bush nominated Judge Roberts for the position following the death of William Rehnquist 03 September. (Credit: LUKE FRAZZA/AFP/Getty Images)

Washington Reacts To Supreme Court NomineeWASHINGTON - JULY 20: Chairman of the Senate Judicial Committee U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) (L) talks to ranking member U.S. Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) (R) during a hearing on Capitol Hill July 20, 2005 in Washington, DC. Senate Democrats are getting ready to question U.S. President Bush's nominee John Roberts for the Supreme Court at his confirmation hearing which will be likely in September. (Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Supreme Court Nominee John Roberts Visits Lawmakers On Capitol HillWASHINGTON - JULY 20 : (L-R) Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), Senate Majority Leader Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN), Appeals Court Judge John G. Roberts and Majority Whip Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) pose for photographs and make statements to the news media July 20, 2005 in Frist's office on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. President George W. Bush nominated Judge Roberts to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. (Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Arlen Specter Holds Press Conference On Roberts NominationWASHINGTON - JULY 20: U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) (R) talks with U.S. Senate Judiciary Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) (C) about the nomination of Judge John Roberts in the U.S. Capitol July 20, 2005 in Washington, DC. Specter will chair the confirmation hearings for Roberts when they take place. (Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Senate Holds Hearing On Stem Cell ResearchWASHINGTON - JULY 12 : Senate Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies chairman Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) speaks during a hearing on stem cell research July 12, 2005 at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The hearing focused on a single cell technique that may be possible without the destruction of an embryo. (Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

President Bush Meets With Senate Leadership About Supreme Court VacancyWASHINGTON - JULY 12: (L to R) U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), Senator Pat Leahy (D-VT) and Senate Democratic Leader Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) brief the media after a meeting with President George W. Bush July 12, 2005 at the White House in Washington, DC. The Senators met with the President to discuss the vacancy at the Supreme Court. (Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Senate Appropriations Cmte Holds Hearing On Funding For Public BroadcastingWASHINGTON - JULY 11: Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) (Chairman) during the Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee hearing on funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting July 11, 2005 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Public broadcasting executives attended the hearing to defend their funding, when the Senate Appropriations Committee begins to decide how much money the Corporation for Public Broadcasting should be allotted. (Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Senate Judiciary Committee Holds Hearing On Detention Of Enemy CombatantsWASHINGTON - JUNE 15: Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) arrives at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Capitol Hill June 15, 2005 in Washington, DC. The committee is hearing testimony on the treatment of detainees being held at the U.S. Naval base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. (Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Senator Arlen Specter Speaks About Judicial NominationsWASHINGTON - MAY 24: U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) speaks during a media conference on Capitol Hill May 24, 2005 in Washington, DC. Senator Specter spoke about the judicial nominations and stated that he would vote yes for the "nuclear option," a procedural tactic that would bar the filibuster of judicial nominees. (Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Congressional Leaders Support Ban On Human Reproductive CloningWASHINGTON - APRIL 21: Sen. Orrin Hatch, (R-UT) (C), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) (L) and Sen Arlen Specter (R-PA) (R) speaks about human reproductive cloning during a news conference at the U.S. Capitol April 21, 2005 in Washington, DC. Hatch announced the introduction legislation to ban human reproductive cloning but allow promising medical research to continue under strict oversight. (Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Ted Kennedy And AFL-CIO President John Sweeney Discuss Workers RightsWASHINGTON - APRIL 19: Sen. Arlen Spector (R-PA) speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill April 19, 2005 in Washington, DC. The news conference focused on the rights of blue collar workers. (Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

U.S. Senate Debates Continuation Of The Patriot ActWASHINGTON - APRIL 5: Committee Chairman U.S. Sen. Arlen Spector (R-PA) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (D-UT) attend a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Captiol Hill April 5, 2005 in Washington, DC. The committee is hearing testimony on renewing the USA Patriot Act. (Credit: Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

US Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) waves to the pressWASHINGTON, DC - FEBRUARY 1: US Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) waves to the press as he departs the Mayflower hotel 01 February in Washington DC. Specter is one of the Senate witnesses of the testimony of former White House intern Monica Lewinsky which will be used in the Senate impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton. (Credit:MARIO TAMA/AFP/Getty Images)

Bob Dole and Arlen SpecterHERSHEY, PA - APRIL 10: Republican presidential candidate and US Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole(R) points to US Senator Arlen Specter(R-Penn) during the introductions at the Pennsylvanian's for Effective Government dinner in Hershey Pennsylvania 10 April. Both senators attended school in Bob Dole's hometown of Russell, Kansas. (Credit: J. DAVID AKE/AFP/Getty Images)

CIA Director-nominee John Deutch meets with Sen. Arlen Specter, R-PAWASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 14: CIA Director-nominee John Deutch (L) meets with Sen. Arlen Specter (R), R-PA, on Capitol Hill in Washington 14 March. Deutch was named 11 March by US President Bill Clinton as his new nominee after retired Air Force Gen. Michael P.C. Carns withdrew his name from consideration. (Credit: JOYCE NALTCHAYAN/AFP/Getty Images)

US Senator Arlen Specter, R-PAWASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 30: US Senator Arlen Specter (L), R-PA, is surrounded by photographers as he arrives at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington 30 March. Specter, a third-term senator, formally announced his candidacy for the 1996 presidential race at the memorial. (Credit: JOYCE NALTCHAYAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Senate Judiciary Committee Members Hold Press ConferenceWASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 18: Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) left, speaks after receiving the approval of Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Orrin G. Hatch, right, (R-UT) and the other GOP members of the Judiciary Committee to become their chairman, at the Capitol in Washington, November 18, 2004. Specter spent the past week defending himself, after drawing the ire of conservatives for saying anti-abortion judges may be unable to win Senate confirmation. (Credit: Matthew Cavanaugh/Getty Images)

Arlen SpecterWASHINGTON, UNITED STATES: Actor Ben Affleck (C) talks politics on Capitol Hill with US Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA)(L) and US Senator and Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services and Education, Tom Harkin (D-IA) 11 July 2001 shortly before the start of the hearing on human genome research. Affleck urged lawmakers and private citizens in his testimony to support increased funding for National Institute of Health (NIH) research into the fatal disease of ataxia-telangiectasia (A-T) and other rare diseases. (Credit: PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images)

Colin Powell speaks to Arlen SpecterWASHINGTON, : Retired US Army General Colin Powell (L) speaks to US Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) before testifying before the Senate Veteran's Affairs Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington 17 April. Powell told the committee that he and his military colleagues were fully prepared for the possible use of chemical weapons by Iraq during the Gulf War and rejected the suggestion that they were somehow indifferent to US troops. (Credit: JOYCE NALTCHAYAN/AFP/Getty Images)

US Sen Arlen SpecterWASHINGTON, : US Sen Arlen Specter, (R-PA), a member of the Senate Government Affairs Committee investigating presidential campaign fundraising, uses a chart to demonstrate the flow of money 10 July during the Senate hearing into campaign fund-raising on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The Senate Government Affairs Committee is investigating possible campaign fundraising abuses. (Credit: STEPHEN JAFFE/AFP/Getty Images)

US Sen. Arlen Specter WASHINGTON, : US Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA), a member of the Senate Government Affairs Committee investigating campaign fund-raisng abuses, questions a witness 09 July during hearings on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Specter was questioning Richard Sullivan, former Democratic National Committee (DNC) finance director, about DNC fund-raising operations. (Credit: LUKE FRAZZA/AFP/Getty Images)

US Senator Arlen SpecterWASHINGTON, : US Senator Arlen Specter, R-PA, talks to reporters 10 February in the US Capitol during the impeachment trial of US President Bill Clinton in Washington, DC. Specter said that he will vote "not proven" in the charges against President Clinton. The Senate continued its deliberations on the charges against President Clinton behind closed doors. (Credit: MARIO TAMA/AFP/Getty Images)

Republican Senator Arlen Specter of PennsylvaniaMANCHESTER, : Republican Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania holds up a diagram critical of the health care proposals of US President Bill Clinton during his speech at a New Hampshire Republican dinner 17 February. A number of Republican presidential hopefuls attended the dinner to test the waters for the state's presidential primary election which is just a year away. (Credit: JOHN MOTTERN/AFP/Getty Images)

Republican US Senator Arlen Specter of PennsylvaniaMANCHESTER, : Republican US Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania speaks with his wife Joan after a candidates forum was taped for television 19 February. Many Republican presidential hopefuls came to New Hampshire over the weekend to examine the situation before the state's presidential primary which is a year away. Senator Specter, who is pro-choice, said "I think it is very important to take abortion out of politics." (Credit: JOHN MOTTERN/AFP/Getty Images)

Arlen SpecterWASHINGTON, : US President Bill Clinton (front) signs a 390 billion dollar spending package for fiscal year 2000 as US Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA)(top Rt), an unidentified woman and a unidentified police officer (L) look on during ceremonies 29 November, 1999 in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC. (Credit: PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images)

Arlen SpecterWASHINGTON, UNITED STATES: Robert Mueller (R), Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation along with John McLaughlin (L), talk with Senator Arlen Specter (C) R-PA before they testify before the Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs on "Building an Agile Intelligence Community to Fight Terrorism and Emerging Threats" 08 September, 2004 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. (Credit: TIM SLOAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Union Officials And Democrats Protest New Overtime RulesWASHINGTON - AUGUST 23: U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) (C) speaks as Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) (R) looks on during a rally to protest the Bush administration's new regulations on overtime pay outside the Department of Labor August 23, 2004 in Washington, DC. According to the Economic Policy Institute, 6 million workers will lose their rights to overtime pay for working more than 40 hours a week under the new rules in the Fair Labor Standards Act, which took effect on Monday. (Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Bush Campaigns In PittsburghPITTSBURGH, PA - APRIL 19: President George W. Bush and Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter wave while campaigning for himself and Specter during a rally at the David Lawrence Convention Center April 19, 2004 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Credit: Christopher Horner-Pool/Getty Images)

Arlen Specter Runs For US Senate(Credit: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

Arlen Specter Runs For U.S. Senate(Credit: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

George Bus and Arlen SpecterPITTSBURGH, UNITED STATES: US President George W. Bush (L) waves with Senator Arlen Spector (R), R-PA, on the steps of Air Force One as they arrive in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 02 December, 2003 to attend a Bush-Cheney 2004 fundraiser luncheon. Bush will pick up 850,000 USD at the campaign fundraiser in the US steel stronghold even as his administration appeared set to back down on controversial steel tariffs. (Credit: STEPHEN JAFFE/AFP/Getty Images)

US President George W. Bush shakes hands with US Senator Arlen SpecterWASHINGTON, UNITED STATES: US President George W. Bush shakes hands with US Senator Arlen Specter (2nd L) after signing into law the national cemetery expansion act of 2003 on Veterans Day in the Oval Office of the White House 11 November 2003 in Washington, DC. Standing from left are: US Rep. Chris Smith, R-NJ; Specter; US Secretary of Veterans Affairs Anthony Principi; US Rep. Jim Gerlach, R-PA; US Rep. Joe Hoeffel, D-PA; and Augustus DiMino, chair, Central Montgomery County Maryland Veterans Council. AFP PHOTO / TIM SLOAN (Photo credit should read TIM SLOAN/AFP/Getty Images)

Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger Attends Hearing On After School ProgramsWASHINGTON - MAY 13: (L-R) Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, National Chairman of the National Inner-City Games Foundation, gestures as he speaks with U.S. Senator and Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) at a hearing on after school programs before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services, Education and Related Agencies on Capitol Hill May 13, 2003 in Washington, DC. The hearing focused whether after school programs provide effective academic and recreational opportunities as well as safe havens for youth. (Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Bush Meets with Republican Congressional Members405152 08: U.S. President George W. Bush answers questions from reporters as (L-R) Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH), Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) look on May 9, 2002 during a meeting with Republican Congressional members at the White House in Washington, DC. Bush held a meeting with Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee to talk about the slow process of moving his judicial nominees to the federal bench. (Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

McCain And Palin Campaign In PennsylvaniaMEDIA, PA - SEPTEMBER 22: (L-R) Republican presidential candidate John McCain (R-AZ), vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) during a rally outside the Delaware County Courthouse September 22, 2008 in Media, Pennsylvania. Thousands attended the late afternoon rally in support of the candidates. (Credit: William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)

Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Mukasey NominationWASHINGTON - NOVEMBER 06: Senate Judiciary Committee ranking Republican Arlen Specter (R-PA) (L) delivers an opening statement while committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) listens during a markup hearing November 6, 2007 in Washington, DC. The committee voted to send President George W. Bush's nominee for Attorney General, Judge Michael Mukasey, to a virtually-assured confirmation vote in the full Senate. Eight Democrats, including Leahy (D-VT), voted against Mukasey. (Credit:Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Senate Begins Debate On Immigration BillWASHINGTON - MAY 21: Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) talks with reporters after leaving the U.S. Senate floor May 21, 2007 in Washington, DC. The Senate voted 69-23 in favor of cloture in one of several votes this week on the Immigration Reform Act. However, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) said the bill will not go up for a final vote until after the Memorial Day break. (Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

US Senator Arlen Specter (L) (R-PA) holdWashington, UNITED STATES: US Senator Arlen Specter (L) (R-PA) holds up the gavel at reporters while Senator Patrick Leahy (D-VT) laughs during a break in testimony from Attorney General Alberto Gonzales before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill 19 April, 2007 in Washington, DC. Facing calls to step down, Gonzales testified before lawmakers on the sacking of eight federal prosecutors, amid charges he led a White House political purge. But the embattled top US prosecutor has insisted he has nothing to hide, and the US administration has released thousands of pages of documents in a bid to show there was no wrongdoing. (Credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP/Getty Images)

Senate Holds Hearing On Hamdan v. Rumsfeld RulingWASHINGTON - JULY 11: U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Arlen Specter (R-PA) listens to testimony during the hearing "Hamdan v. Rumsfeld: Establishing a Constitutional Process" on Capitol Hill July 11, 2006 in Washington, DC. The committee called the hearing after the Supreme Court ruled that U.S. President George W. Bush's use of tribunals to try suspected terrorists held in U.S. detention is unconstitutional. (Credit: Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

Senate Judiciary Committee Holds Immigration HearingWASHINGTON - APRIL 25: Committee Chairman Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) listens as various academics take part in a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on "Immigration: Economic Impacts" on Capitol Hill April 25, 2006 in Washington, DC. Testifying during the hearing were Richard Freeman, professor of economics, Harvard University; Dan Siciliano, executive director, Program in Law, Economics and Business, Stanford Law School; Barry Chiswick, professor of economics, University of Illinois at Chicago; and Harry Holzer, professor of public policy, Georgetown University. (Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Senator Arlen Specter, R - PA, ChairmanWashington, UNITED STATES: Senator Arlen Specter, R - PA, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Commitee, speaks at a press conference by Republican senators 31 January 2006 as Sen. Jon Kyl, R - AZ, looks on after the US Senate confirmed conservative judge Samuel Alito to the Supreme Court. Alito, 55, a federal appeals court judge will fill the seat vacated by departing Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. (Credit: MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

US Sen Arlen Specter, D-PAUS Sen Arlen Specter, D-PA, questions US Supreme Court Nominee Sonia Sotomayor on July 16, 2009 during the fourth day of confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.(Credit: KAREN BLEIER/AFP/Getty Images)

Republican Sen. Arlen Specter To Announces Switch To Democratic PartyApril 28, 2009 in Washington, DC. (Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

The 33rd Annual Kennedy Center HonorsWASHINGTON, DC - DECEMBER 05: Arlen Specter poses for photos during the 33rd Annual Kennedy Center Honors at the Kennedy Center Hall of States on December 5, 2010 in Washington, DC. (Credit: Kris Connor/Getty Images)

The White House Host Celebrates Jewish American Heritage MonthMay 27, 2010 in Washington, DC. (Credit: Alex Wong/Getty Images)

Arlen Specter Campaigns At Citizens Bank Park Before Phillies GamePHILADELPHIA - MAY 17: U.S. Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) and his wife Joan campaign outside Citizens Bank Park May 17, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Specter, who switched political parties last year, faces U.S. Rep. Joe Sestak in the Democratic primary tomorrow. (Credit: William Thomas Cain/Getty Images)

US President Barack Obama waves with US Senator Arlen Specter , D-PAUS President Barack Obama (L) waves with US Senator Arlen Specter , D-PA, at the Philadelphia International Airport as they arriveto attend a fundraising event for Specter at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennslyvania, September 15, 2009. (Credit: JIM WATSON/AFP/Getty Images)