PA-Sen: Early Numbers Seem Fine For Sestak

The Philly Inquirer surveys the potential Sestak-Specter primary.

In an interview last night, Sestak said that he needs to consult with his wife, Susan, and their 8-year-old daughter, Alex, before launching what would be an all-consuming statewide campaign.

"Personally, I do intend to get in, but we make the decision as a family. This is a deployment," said Sestak, a retired Navy rear admiral. "We have not made a final decision. . . . I intend to try to do this in a thoughtful, deliberate way."

He added that, in preliminary conversations, his family had been "very supportive" of the idea.

Meanwhile, a preliminary poll shows what I think is good news for Sestak's candidacy. Specter's statewide approval rating is only 46%, and his lead in a hypothetical primary over Sestak is only 50-21. Considering Specter's name ID, the fact that he cannot break 50% is an excellent sign for the lesser-known Sestak. And despite not being known at all, Sestak beats Toomey in a head-to-head general election matchup. If I were the Admiral, I'd take those numbers as a baseline.

Obviously, the big hitters in the Party - Ed Rendell, not to mention the White House - may try to push Specter over the line. But I don't think Democratic primary voters can be that easily fooled, to line up with the guy who admitted he was joining the party only for political reasons and has a lifetime record of opposing many Democratic causes.