With Sen. Arlen Specter voted out of office and Rep. John Murtha dead, Sen. Bob Casey Jr. is poised to become the new king of pork-barrel spending among Pennsylvania politicians.

According to the website, www.endingspending.com, Sen. Casey has pushed through 336 earmarks totaling $689 million for special interests and political cronies.

An article in The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review states Pennsylvania Democratic members of Congress have asked for 985 separate earmarks while Pennsylvania's Republican Congressional delegation has requested 0 earmarks.