Philadelphian Joe Torsella, chair of Pennsylvania's state board of education, says he will not challenge newly-minted Democrat Arlen Specter for the party's nomination in next year's U.S. Senate race.
Philadelphia civic leader Joe Torsella says in a video to friends and supporters to be posted on his campaign Web site Thursday evening that he's concerned the race would become more about Specter's record than looking forward and that's not good for the state.Congressman Joe Sestak is said to be considering a primary run against Specter.
The 45-year-old Torsella is a former president of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and is the chairman of the State Board of Education.
He entered the race before Specter switched from the Republican Party to the Democratic Party.
For the sake of the party, I hope somebody does. A primary challenge is the only thing that will force Specter to support anything resembling a progressive agenda for the next year-and-a-half.
