The Washington Post is reporting that Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) is going to change his party affiliation, joining the Democrats and—once Al Franken is seated—handing the Democrats a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate. From Specter's statement:

"Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right. Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats. I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans."