No surprise here. Dorgan was one of four Dems who voted against the 2006 bill. It is worth remembering the vote tally for the 2006 Senate bill that passed 62-36. The Senate Reps voted 32-23 against the bill, but we have lost Burns, Allen, Santorum, Thomas, and Talent who voted against the bill. In addition, Kyl, Lott, Chambliss, and Isakson will vote for the bill this time. That represents a loss of nine people who voted against the last bill. We gain Corker for Frist who voted for the 2006 bill. So we start a net of 8 down. I still predict a bill coming out of the Senate with 65-70 votes.
Not necessarily true kabar. To me the key votes are the Dorgan amendment that passed 49-48 last nite and the Coburn amendment that was defeated today 42-54. The reason a number of democrats voted as they did on these votes is heavy pressure from unions in the private sector which are opposed to the guest worker and in some cases portions of the amnesty provisions of the bill. Unless those provisions are removed the underlying bill will go down to defeat. In addition some Red State Senators from Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Indiana & Louisiana supported the latest Coburn amendment as well.