The appointment of Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., as chief of the Senate Judiciary Committee has the State College community concerned about the possibility of President George W. Bush appointing justices to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In the next four years, Bush could nominate as many as four Supreme Court justices, which could affect Roe v. Wade, the decision in which secured the right for a woman right to have an abortion.
Glenn Thompson, Centre Country Republican chairman, said although the position of chairman is based on seniority, it is really up to the Republican leadership.
"Despite some comments the senator recently made, [Specter] has now said that he'd allow all judges the president nominates to go through a full vote in the Senate, and the president has been given assurances of this," Thompson said.
"And from the standpoint of the Centre Country Republicans, that's a very good thing," he added.
Centre County Democrats Chairman Bob Shepherd said he thinks Specter's position on abortion has alienated him from some in the Republican Party.
"For years, he's been regarded by the right with some disdain because he's been leaning toward more liberal causes fairly consistently," Shepherd said.
In previous statements, Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., who is against abortion, said that he looks forward to working with Specter to ensure that every judicial nominee has an "up or down" vote on the floor of the U.S. Senate.
