Rendell wants Torsella out

Now that Sen. Arlen Specter is running for reelection as a Democrat, Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) is asking his former deputy mayor, Joe Torsella, to drop out of the Democratic primary for Senate.

Torsella said Tuesday that he would stay in the race, but these things tend to change. With all the party bigwigs backing Specter, Torsella would need to tap into some serious liberal discontent in order to have a chance.

According to the Associated Press:

In the wake of Sen. Arlen Specter’s switch to the Democratic Party, Gov. Ed Rendell is asking Senate candidate Joe Torsella to step aside.

Rendell said it would be better for the party that way.

But the Philadelphia civic leader and former president of the National Constitution Center said he still plans to run in the Democratic primary.

Torsella said new leadership, new ideas and new approaches are needed in Washington.

–Aaron Blake