Joe Sestak made his bones as an admiral in the Navy.

Now his campaign for the U.S. Senate is taking on water. The good ship Sestak took another couple of shots across the bow yesterday.

First some new poll numbers came out that showed Sen. Arlen Specter, the newly minted Democrat, widening his lead over the challenger Sestak in their primary race for the seat Specter has held for a couple of decades.

Specter now leads Sestak by 21 points, according to the latest Rasmussen poll, with 53 percent of likely voters saying they would back the incumbent, and just 32 in the corner of the upstart second-term congressman.

When he visited with the editorial board a week ago, Sestak downplayed the polls, instead focusing on Specter’s electability numbers, which continue to flounder. Yesterday’s Rasmussen poll numbers continued that drumbeat, pointing out that just a little more than half the voters approve of Specter’s performance.

There were worse numbers later on in the day for Specter, when Rasmussen released polling data that indicated Republican Pat Toomey stretching his lead over Specter.

But the news got decidedly more ominous for Sestak a little later in the day.

Apparently state Democratic chairman T.J. Rooney has seen enough. No doubt spooked by the upset win by Republicans in the Massachusetts Senate race, and the new numbers showing Toomey pulling away from Specter, Rooney said the party would be better off if Sestak got out of the race.

That would allow Democrats to unite behind Specter, and also clear the path for Sestak to seek re-election to his 7th District congressional seat.

That was the original plan when Specter announced his party switch.
President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and Gov. Ed Rendell all embraced Specter with open arms. Someone forgot to invite Sestak to the party.

Rooney wants Specter to be able to focus on Toomey in the general election, not get mired in a rough primary with a fellow Democrat.

So far, Sestak does not seem especially keen on the idea.

Rooney even tried some language that might strike a chord with the longtime Navy man.

“We need all hands on deck this year,” Rooney said of the Senate race.

Sestak is vowing to stay in the race.

All hands on deck? Sestak might be ready to sound general quarters.