If the choice is giving him a fourth term, or giving someone else a first term who will vote to his LEFT, I'll take the fourth term. Ideally, I prefer politicians are term limited, but NOT at the expense of replacing them with someone who will be worse. Doing so would be cutting off your nose to spit in your face. There is clear evidence that Cheney is not as conservative as Enzi.
Alabama's Jeff Sessions is another solid conservative who has been there three terms. If the choice was giving him a fourth term or replacing him with an liberal Democrat Obama supporter who has never been in office, would it be o.k. for him to stay?
“I prefer politicians are term limited, but NOT at the expense of replacing them with someone who will be worse.”
I guess, politically speaking, each of us has to determine the “who will be worse/better” equation. My observation was general in that turnover is a desirable feature in elected office. But as you say, not at the expense of ideology ( so long as the person actually effects the legislative process and isn’t there for his own personal interests or gain). The corollary is “where are all the new faces?”
And the compelling need to not see a seat turn over to the RATs.