Specter finds himself back in conservatives' doghouse

As one of the Republicans who helped ensure Senate passage of President Barack Obama's economic-stimulus legislation, Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter finds himself in a familiar place: conservatives' doghouse.

The Senate approved an $838 billion version of the bill Tuesday, after Specter and two fellow Republicans, Sens. Olympia J. Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine, crossed the aisle to support it and block a potential filibuster.

They were the only Republican "yes" votes, and many conservatives considered supporting the legislation apostasy. It is wasteful, laden with pork-barrel spending that won't help the economy and will only bequeath more debt to coming generations, they say.

Some in the Pennsylvania GOP are already murmuring about a conservative challenge to Specter, who has said he will run for re-election next year.

"Pennsylvania voters are fed up with Specter's perennial charade," said Glen Meakem, a Pittsburgh entrepreneur and radio talk-show host. "He poses as a moderate-conservative Republican, and instead he's voting with the liberal special interests. We can't tolerate that; we've got to hold him accountable."