Specter embraced by the stem cell community

After Senator Arlen Specter announced his support for the creation of an agency that would be dedicated to awarding grants for biotech companies in dire need of cash, the stem cell blogosphere was quick to embrace him as a hero to the scientific community.
What exactly is it about Specter that makes him stand out among other stem cell advocates?
For the most part, the fact that he is a Republican.
Specter's vote could help break crucial deadlocks in the Senate when it comes to issues involving stem cell research and biotech funding.
Arlen Specter, two-time cancer survivor, is rapidly becoming the political face of stem cell research, despite the fact that his fellow Republicans have expressed their displeasure.
Specter originally caused a controversy within his party after securing stimulus money for the National Institutes of Health.
And to think, they call John McCain the maverick.