Specter v. Sestak By the Numbers

[whiteroses]

http://garnetdonkey.com/2009/05/27/specter-v-sestak-by-the-numbers/

Posted on May 27, 2009 by Molly
In keeping with my earlier post, here’s a quick run-down of the comparative voting records of Sen. Specter and potential challenger Rep. Sestak. The numbers paint a clear picture: an right-leaning moderate ex-Republican versus a progressive Democrat with an exceptional record on issues that matter. I have done my best to present apples-to-apples comparison, though the much shorter length of Rep. Sestak’s tenure in (elected) office and the diference in legislation voted on in the House and Senate makes these comparison less than direct.

On Labor:

* Specter has a 61% lifetime rating from the AFL-CIO, including high-profile opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act. Sestak, who in fairness has a much short “lifetime” to compare, has a 96% rating.
* Specter supported AFSCME’s position in 2008 56% of the time (and has a life time score of 54%). Sestak supported AFSCME’s position in 2008 100% of the time (and has a 100% lifetime score).

Watch the difference get bigger after the jump.

On Reproductive Rights:

* Between 2007 and 2009, Specter voted with the National Right to Life Committee 14 times and against it 37 times. Sestak voted against the NRLC on all 7 scored pieces of House legislation in the same period.
* NARAL awarded Specter a 100% rating in 2008 on the basis of his votes on the Hyde Amendment, the Child Custody Protection Act, and Wayne Allard’s “unborn child” efforts. No House votes were scored in 2008, meaning that the representative has no score for the same period.
* Planned Parenthood, for 2008, awarded Specter a “mixed” rating (79% support) on choice issues and Sestak a “pro” rating (100% support).

On Taxes & Fiscal Issues:

* Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform gives Specter a 65% score for his votes in the 110th Congress. Sestak, for the same period in the House, has a 5% rating. (Both rankings are here.)
* The conservative Club for Growth in their 2008 Congressional scorecards, gives Specter a 39% approval rating and ranks him 44/100 Senators. The same group gives Sestak a 4% approval rating and ranks him 296 (in a 17-way tie) of 435 members of the House.
...

[Divernan]

1. Excellent, well-documented - .

Aside: Would those be the White Roses of York?

[yurbud]

2. kick