Arlan Specter Dies at 82

Chris Maddaloni / CQ-Roll Call Photos

Long time Senate moderate Arlan Specter died this past weekend from non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This was his second bout with the disease. He served 30 years in the Senate- becoming Pennsylvania's longest serving Senator. He was known as an independent mind in the Senate. He switched party affiliations after 44 years saying that Republicans became too conservative. He lost his bid for reelection in 2010 when challenged by a more liberal challenger for the Democratic line.  Arlan Specter dead at the age of 82.