Arlen Specter was first elected to the United States Senate in 1980 and has been re-elected five times since then. He served as a moderate/liberal Republican until 2009, when he realized he would lose the GOP nomination to conservative Pat Toomey. On April 28, 2009, Specter became a Democrat. It was a transparently political move but it had a great chance of working.

In his quest to win the Democratic Party’s nomination, the elite Washington politician was supported by Barack Obama, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, Governor Ed Rendell, and Senator Robert Casey. Money poured into his coffers from the establishment.

His opponent, Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA), faced an uphill battle and even resorted to accusing Barack Obama of violating federal law by offering him a federal job in exchange for dropping out. It seemed that Arlen Specter’s decision to change parties would save his political career.

Tonight, following a significant defeat, Specter’s career came to an end. He has conceded the primary election to Sestak, and he will be legally prohibited from running as an Independent. This is now his last year in Congress. So long, Benedict Arlen.