Senate's swing-state Republicans break ranks

politico.com ^ | 1/27/15 | Manu Raju

[cotton1706]

It didn’t take long for vulnerable Republican senators to start bucking their new majority’s party line.

Just three weeks into Mitch McConnell’s reign as Senate majority leader, he’s already confronting the challenges of running a caucus filled with blue-state Republicans who face reelection next year. They’ve begun departing from the GOP stance on issues like energy and climate change — a move that lets them espouse independence back home, but also exposes divisions that are bound to intensify as 2016 draws nearer.

The Senate’s dynamic was on display in a series of amendment votes over the last week on the Keystone XL oil pipeline: New Hampshire Sen. Kelly Ayotte, one of the Democrats’ top targets in 2016, repeatedly broke with her party, including by opposing efforts to hamper Obama’s international climate negotiations. Illinois Sen. Mark Kirk was the lone Republican to back regulations on petroleum coke, a byproduct from oil refining. And conservative Pennsylvania Sen. Pat Toomey was one of 15 Republicans to endorse a statement that humans contribute to climate change.

Another defector, North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr, was the only Republican to vote for a Democrat-backed mandate that the pipeline be built with U.S. steel. “It’s real simple,” he said proudly. “I’ve been for ‘Buy America’ every time it’s come up in the Senate.”

[cotton1706]

Translation: pretend conservatives showing their true colors. Compare those in the article with their voting records:

Lee (UT) - 2016 - 99% (Average) - 100% (CReview) - 96% (Heritage) - 100% (CFG) - 100% (ACU) - 100% (FreedomWorks)

Paul (KY) - 2016 - 96% (Average) - 95% (CReview) - 92% (Heritage) - 97% (CFG) - 96% (ACU) - 100% (FreedomWorks)

Scott (SC) - 2016 - 92% (Average) - 86% (CReview) - 85% (Heritage) - 94% (CFG) - 96% (ACU) - 100% (FreedomWorks)

Rubio (FL) - 2016 - 90% (Average) - 80% (CReview) - 81% (Heritage) - 91% (CFG) - 96% (ACU) - 100% (FreedomWorks)

Johnson (WI) - 2016 - 88% (Average) - 73% (CReview) - 84% (Heritage) - 87% (CFG) - 96% (ACU) - 100% (FreedomWorks)

Crapo (ID) - 2016 - 84% (Average) - 78% (CReview) - 81% (Heritage) - 92% (CFG) - 88% (ACU) - 83% (FreedomWorks)

Toomey (PA) - 2016 - 80% (Average) - 66% (CReview) - 71% (Heritage) - 93% (CFG) - 80% (ACU) - 91% (FreedomWorks)

Lankford (OK) - 2016 - 78% (Average) - 76% (CReview) - 80% (Heritage) - 70% (CFG) - 80% (ACU) - 84% (FreedomWorks)

Shelby (AL) - 2016 - 76% (Average) - 66% (CReview) - 75% (Heritage) - 82% (CFG) - 76% (ACU) - 83% (FreedomWorks)

Barrasso (WY) - 2016 - 75% (Average) - 67% (CReview) - 72% (Heritage) - 85% (CFG) - 88% (ACU) - 64% (FreedomWorks)

Vitter (LA) - 2016 - 75% (Average) - 76% (CReview) - 68% (Heritage) - 78% (CFG) - 79% (ACU) - 73% (FreedomWorks)

Thune (SD) - 2016 - 71% (Average) - 60% (CReview) - 60% (Heritage) - 80% (CFG) - 88% (ACU) - 67% (FreedomWorks)

Burr (NC) - 2016 - 69% (Average) - 55% (CReview) - 58% (Heritage) - 67% (CFG) - 84% (ACU) - 83% (FreedomWorks)

Moran (KS) - 2016 - 69% (Average) - 62% (CReview) - 65% (Heritage) - 75% (CFG) - 80% (ACU) - 64% (FreedomWorks)

Coats (IN) - 2016 - 66% (Average) - 49% (CReview) - 61% (Heritage) - 75% (CFG) - 83% (ACU) - 64% (FreedomWorks)

Boozman (AR) - 2016 - 64% (Average) - 49% (CReview) - 68% (Heritage) - 70% (CFG) - 80% (ACU) - 55% (FreedomWorks)

Portman (OH) - 2016 - 63% (Average) - 56% (CReview) - 55% (Heritage) - 71% (CFG) - 64% (ACU) - 67% (FreedomWorks)

McCain (AZ) - 2016 - 62% (Average) - 50% (CReview) - 52% (Heritage) - 71% (CFG) - 52% (ACU) - 83% (FreedomWorks)

Ayotte (NH) - 2016 - 59% (Average) - 44% (CReview) - 51% (Heritage) - 79% (CFG) - 68% (ACU) - 55% (FreedomWorks)

Blunt (MO) - 2016 - 58% (Average) - 35% (CReview) - 52% (Heritage) - 67% (CFG) - 71% (ACU) - 64% (FreedomWorks)

Isakson (GA) - 2016 - 55% (Average) - 44% (CReview) - 50% (Heritage) - 59% (CFG) - 54% (ACU) - 67% (FreedomWorks)

Hoeven (ND) - 2016 - 50% (Average) - 22% (CReview) - 42% (Heritage) - 58% (CFG) - 60% (ACU) - 67% (FreedomWorks)

Kirk (IL) - 2016 - 47% (Average) - 29% (CReview) - 39% (Heritage) - 74% (CFG) - 44% (ACU) - 50% (FreedomWorks)

Murkowski (AK) - 2016 - 31% (Average) - 22% (CReview) - 24% (Heritage) - 52% (CFG) - 38% (ACU) - 18% (FreedomWorks)

[GeronL]

all spineless

[Opinionated Blowhard]

It also didn’t take long for Politico to write a pot-stirring article about how the new GOP majority is cracking up. I generally ignore anything that some rag like Politico has to say about a Republican crack-up.

[goldstategop]

Blue State Republicans have to vote left to remain politically viable.

All politics are local and many Senate votes vividly demonstrate it.

[Da Coyote]

Take Bonehead and McDorkell.

Out to the shed.

Launch the shed into the sun.

While extending both middle fingers.

[cotton1706]

“I generally ignore anything that some rag like Politico has to say about a Republican crack-up.”

These stories (especially those by Manu Raju) are written as “atta boys” to republicans who vote like democrats. Which is why we need to be aware of them.

[Hatteras]

"Another defector, North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr, was the only Republican to vote for a Democrat-backed mandate that the pipeline be built with U.S. steel. “It’s real simple,” he said proudly. “I’ve been for ‘Buy America’ every time it’s come up in the Senate."

Okay, what am I missing here? Is there a problem with mandating U.S. steel? Why did no other Republican vote for this? Was it attached to something else?

[cotton1706]

“Okay, what am I missing here? Is there a problem with mandating U.S. steel? Why did no other Republican vote for this? Was it attached to something else?”

My guess is that since the democrats have for years been attempting to shut down American steel mills “for the environment,” that this was an attempt to force the project to not have enough material to actually build it. And it’s also a payoff to their union buddies who work in the remaining steel mills.

I’m all for using American steel, but the democrats cannot be trusted on this based on their record of putting the environment over industry and people actually working.

[Dr. Sivana]

Blue State Republicans have to vote left to remain politically viable.

So why do the Red State Democrats drink the Obama Kool-Aid and get voted out? How are THEY kept in line?

[dware]

I generally ignore anything that some rag like Politico has to say about a Republican crack-up.

Ignore politico all you want, but uh...we've been witness to the implosion since election day. Anyone thinking the GOP is still a good idea is part of the problem.

[SmokingJoe]

Pretty much. Let’s not forget that Politico is made up of ex left wing MSM stalwarts from the WaPo, the NY etc. They are in business to push the Obama/Democratic Party agenda. They always have.

[Lazamataz]

They don’t call it Propagandico for nothing.

[SmokingJoe]

When did Kelly Ayotte backing left wing initiatives become a sign of the GOP imploding? She has ALWAYS been to the left of most of the GOP. To use her as a sign that the GOP is imploding is reaching a bit isn’t it?
And the author actually thinks a GOP senator, backing the use of US made steel in the Keystone Pipeline is a sign that the GOP is on the verge of collapse? The entire article is much ado about nothing.
Sure we have our problems, but using US made steel in the Keystone Pipeline is not one of them.

[Flintlock]

There are a whole buncha RINOs inside the tent. and (of course) they are still pi$$ing INSIDE THE TENT.

[elpadre]

“Another defector, North Carolina Sen. Richard Burr, was the only Republican to vote for a Democrat-backed mandate that the pipeline be built with U.S. steel. “It’s real simple,” he said proudly. “I’ve been for ‘Buy America’ every time it’s come up in the Senate.”

Why is buying American an issue favored by the left and not the right. I favor buying American 100%.

[OneWingedShark]

There are a whole buncha RINOs inside the tent. and (of course) they are still pi$$ing INSIDE THE TENT.

Hey now!
I was told that was rain.

[bray]

Getting them elected is far more important than doing what is right for the country.

Pray America is waking

[Jim Noble]

Why is buying American an issue favored by the left and not the right

Check your "friends" who profess "conservatism".

Some of them hate unions so much that they will sell the country out to China in preference to adopting policies that favor the white working class.

Some of them actually believe that a man whose wife works for Goldman Sachs can be elected President.

Unbelievable, huh?

[dangus]

Politico is a cheer-leader for leftist Republicans, trying to play up a rift. The problem is NOT that there are moderates flaking off to the left, but that the LEADERSHIP is Vichy-ist.

The statement that human activity “contributes” to global warming. Who could deny that? Light a candle, and you’ve added warmth. The issue is whether it’s significant and catastrophic.

[elpadre]

all my friends, with no exceptions, strongly believe in “buy USA” products.