Sestak: I Will Reject Obama Request to Step Aside in Pennsylvania Senate Race

Rep. Joe Sestak is charting his own course in deciding his political future, telling FOX News Radio on Monday that he will kindly ignore requests from President Obama to step aside in a Democratic Senate primary race against Sen. Arlen Specter.

Sestak, a retired vice admiral in the U.S. Navy, had been weighing a general election challenge before Specter switched parties last month, becoming a Democrat after 29 years as a Republican. Sestak said he would not give up his plans just because Specter may have been assured a clear path to re-election.

Sestak said it's up for the voters of Pennsylvania, not the U.S. president, to decide who should become the commonwealth's representative in the U.S. Senate.

"While I respect the president and I would love to have his endorsement, it's Pennsylvanians that I came in to serve and that's where I'd make my final decision, so I will have to defer to the president's desire and say, 'I think, that Mr. President, I have great respect for you, but as the office of presidency -- and you alluded to that -- core mission said, don't preclude any opportunities for us Pennsylvanians. And I need to do this.'" Sestak said.

Last month, Rep. Steve Israel of New York said he deferred to a request from Obama to sit out a bid to run in the Senate primary against appointed Sen. Kristin Gillibrand.

Israel was poised to announce his candidacy until the president intervened at the request of Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York and Bob Menendez of New Jersey.

Click here to hear Sestak on FOX News Radio: