Posted on 04/10/2014 8:12:46 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
In order to take control of the US Senate, Republicans have to win six seats in the midterm elections. Or is it five? That depends on one of the two Senators unaffiliated with either major party. Bernie Sanders, a professed socialist, may run for the Democratic Party presidential nomination in 2016, so a Sanders flip is unlikely in the extreme. But what about Maine’s Angus King? He caucuses with Democrats now, but he’s, er … mulling his options after opposing the Democratic pay-equity ploy:
Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), who caucuses with the Democrats, will decide after the midterm elections whether to switch sides and join the Republicans.
He is leaving open the possibility of aligning himself with the GOP if control of the upper chamber changes hands.
“I’ll make my decision at the time based on what I think is best for Maine,” King told The Hill Wednesday after voting with Republicans to block the Paycheck Fairness Act, a measure at the center for the 2014 Democratic campaign agenda.
King’s remarks are a clear indication that congressional leaders on both sides of the aisle will have to woo the 70-year-old senator in order to recruit him to their side.
That would be quite a journey for King, who just this week offered to waterboard former VP Dick Cheney after the latter defended the Bush-era interrogation techniques. King has been firmly in Harry Reid’s camp since replacing Olympia Snowe fifteen months ago. He explained that to Maine voters (who had rejected both Republican and Democratic options in the race) on purely practical grounds. Without an affiliation to a caucus, King would have had no committee assignments at all, and it’s better to caucus with the majority to get more impact.
In other words, don’t expect King to vote in lockstep with the GOP if he switches. And it’s not entirely clear that Senate Republicans will want him unless they absolutely need him. King backs ObamaCare, for instance, and voted in favor of Reid’s nuclear option on the filibuster last year. He also wants federal legislation to limit firearms magazines to 10 rounds, but does not support an assault-weapons ban. King filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court arguing to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act. Govtrack’s analysis of his voting record puts him on the moderate side of the Democratic caucus, about equivalent with Mark Pryor and Tim Kaine, but slightly more liberal than the most liberal Republican — his colleague Susan Collins.
Don’t expect the GOP to woo him much, in other words, unless they really need him — and they will only really need him if they pick up exactly five seats. Six and they don’t need him to take control; four and he can’t help anyway, unless they can convince Joe Manchin to flip, and they might try him first at five, too. Manchin’s voting record is closer to the GOP than King’s, and the trend in his home state might make him more reliable, too. King will flip to the GOP if they win a majority to any extent, thanks the pragmatism that has him in Reid’s caucus now.
Yawn.
Tell this “Independent” POS to go PLAY W/ HIMSELF!
Go Away Angus..y’er a moron.
I wouldn’t trust this guy any further than I can spit.
upside is both king and manchin switching.
makes a majority easier but we want actual conservative senators
there are some here who would prefer king and manchin stay dem.
Uh huh. I guess he wants to be number three on a Mount Rushmore of Maine RINO’s?
If Republicans do manage a takeover and McConnell survives and this dude caucuses with Republicans, MushyMitch will likely give Angus a committee chairmanship over a Ted Cruz or Tim Scott.
He’s a commie. Just flexible to have power.
Anus King=political opportunist. Just taking a leaf from the Southern RAT playbook. It’s more fun to be in the majority, so just switch parties when the leadership changes. Tells you all you need to know about old Anus.
He’s pulling the democrats’ chain in order to get something he wants. No one believes he’d ever agree with any republican positions.
This guy is an A-HOLE liberal...PERIOD!
Posturing.
Win it by 6, woo the independents to caucus with you. When they balk at ideas, go tell them to pound sand, as they are not needed. Not very productive; seems it would be very satisfying, though.
Independents ALWAYS play this game.
Caucus with the party in the majority. Otherwise be frozen out of all influence or relevant committee assignments.
Does not mean he will vote with the GOP even half the time.
I agree. The future shouldn’t rely on whether a flip-flopper from Maine is getting enough highway money. The GOP should focus on winning 6+ seats. Conversions are nice but it takes a long time too trust one. Would you give a junkie access to a cash register a day after rehab? I didn’t think so :)
His voting record leans left.
The letter designation for the senator should be changed from “I” to “O”, as in “Opportunist”. That being said, there are advantages to caucusing with the majority in power. So if I was a resident of Maine this would not upset me too much.
“Independents ALWAYS play this game.”
Absolutely! If he had any integrity and sincerity he’d switch right now, not after the 2014 elections.
I just fervently hope that we don’t wind up with a 50-50 split in the Senate, and it hall hangs on the Anus guy. I’m sure we all fondly remember Jim Jeffords of Vermont fame.
Not unlike Olympia caucusing with the Republicans.....
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