Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter held a town hall forum with students at Student Center, Friday, October 23.Specter discussed various issues such as the healthcare reform, economy, and college affordability. He promised the students that he will continue work with Governor Ed Rendell and lawmakers in Washington to ease the college debt to make sure all students have the ability to go through college, without have to worry about financing education on their own.

The forum, which was hosted by the Temple College Democrats, is a part of Specter’s campaign re-election. About 100 students attended the event of which 20 had the chance to read the pre-arranged questions and get the direct answers from Senator himself.

Specter took time to highlight special relationships he has with President Obama and Vice President Biden. In an exclusive interview with Temple News the Senator said the major reason the switched the political parties from Republican to a Democrat was because Republicans failed to align with the President when they were given the chance to vote on the Stimulus Bill early this year.

Specter is up for re-election to the Senate in 2010 and is expected to face challenge in the senatorial primary elections against Republican Pat Toomey later next spring.