Posted on 12/14/2014 10:49:21 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
It’s a question that will prove crucial next year when Mitch McConnell takes the reins of a new Senate: Just how big is the Ted Cruz caucus?
Three votes on the “cromnibus” late Saturday night suggest it could be as large as 22 senators — a dangerously high number for McConnell — or as few as a handful.
Let’s break down the three votes — on filibustering the $1.1 trillion package, on Cruz’s point of order aimed at targeting the president’s immigration action, and final passage.
The high-water mark for the Texas Republican came on his point of order vote, which 22 Republicans backed. While that represented a thumping, it could also be seen as a show of strength against the McConnell forces. Just 20 Republicans, including McConnell Republican Whip John Cornyn of Texas voted against Cruz; three did not vote.
Cruz’s point of order itself basically contended that the underlying bill was unconstitutional because it didn’t block President Barack Obama’s immigration action. Many Republicans, including Cruz, say they oppose the immigration action but don’t think the cromnibus itself is unconstitutional.
On final passage of the cromnibus, 18 Republicans voted no.
But only 12 Republicans joined Cruz in both votes for both his point of order and against the cromnibus. They are: Sens. Michael D. Crapo of Idaho, Charles E. Grassley of Iowa, Mike Lee of Utah, Jerry Moran of Kansas, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Rob Portman of Ohio, Jim Risch of Idaho, Marco Rubio of Florida, Tim Scott of South Carolina, Jeff Sessions of Alabama, Richard C. Shelby of Alabama and David Vitter of Louisiana.
Nine others switched to yes on final passage after voting with Cruz to say the bill itself was unconstitutional. They are: Sens. Roy Blunt of Missouri, John Boozman of Arkansas, Richard M. Burr of North Carolina, Deb Fischer of Nebraska, John Hoeven of North Dakota, Johnny Isakson of Georgia, Mike Johanns of Nebraska, Pat Roberts of Kansas and John Thune of South Dakota. Johanns is retiring.
Those nine Republicans ended up providing the margin of victory for the underlying cromnibus, which passed 56-40.
Even that group of a dozen might be overstating Cruz’s hold on the GOP.
An even smaller subset of the Senate Republicans — 11 of them — voted with Cruz against final passage, for his point of order and to filibuster the bill in the first place: Crapo, Lee, Moran, Paul, Portman, Risch, Rubio, Scott, Shelby, Sessions and Vitter.
That’s more than enough to cause McConnell trouble given that he will have 54 Republicans in his camp and will need to get to 60 votes on most bills and likely 51 Republicans to pass a budget resolution.
Notable in the group who consistently voted with Cruz are his potential presidential rivals Paul and Rubio.
It’s also worth noting that Rubio continues his shift to the right after helping write the Senate immigration bill last year.
No Democrats supported the Cruz point of order.
Correction, 11:28 a.m.
An earlier version of this post omitted Scott as voting against cloture.
The GOPe and the Washington establishment simply HATE Ted Cruz, authentic Constitutional Conservatives, and the Biblical worldview.
It is important to know who the enemies are.
If those nine had stayed conservative, cromnibus would've failed, 49 against, 47 for.
They voted against it before they voted for it.
Ohio Ping
I never would have guessed that Portman would stand with Cruz on a point of order supporting the Constitution.
Chambliss, Coburn and Inhofe the NON-Voters last night, probably would have voted for CRUZ since their views on illegals are very similar.
Voting for the 1.1T with all it’s pork, not so sure they would have voted against that.
Oklahoma had no rep in the senate last night, what’s up with that?
Portman’s thinking election 2016, obviously.
Also, don’t forget CRUZ gets some reinforcements in January, Ernst and Cotton are probable allies to us.
Coburn was in DC Thursday to give his farewell speech. You'd thnk he'd stick around, unless he's really sick.
I don't know what Inhofe's excuse is.
The numbers behind Ted Cruz’ caucus is not as important as the trend which shows it growing substantially. Whereas just a year ago Ted stood with 3 others, now he stands with at least 11 others and possibly 21 others.
By the time 2016 comes around McConnell will be dancing to Cruz’ tune.
Keep fighting for the Constitution Ted, we are behind you 100%.
How many in the Cruz caucus?
If the election results were any indication, I’m guessing about fifty million.
May a new Conservative coalition form a new “Giant Gorilla party” to oppose the uni-party in the new congress, and may the GOP go the way of the Whig party!
What I mean by “Giant Gorilla” is a conservative patriot coalition that the MSM cannot ignore and the American people will embrace against the democrats (and GOPe).
But I don't see that as a likely scenario. I don't see Portman chancing alienation of the Senate Majority Leader before committee assignments are announced in exchange for a few volunteers at election time.
How about the 900 pound gorilla of the 50 united States?
Texas.
The new Texas party of constitutional freedom and independence...
The TExAs Party ©.
.
Has ?Marco learned a lesson or is he blowing smoke?
I doubt it. Cruz is OK. We will see who makes it to the nomination. We will also see who votes for the winner if X or Y or Z loses.
I’d say Cruz can count on a dozen or so hardcore supporters and maybe 20-25 who will go his way on less polarizing issues. A good 25% or more of the Republican Senators hate his guts and the rest are fence-sitters. And of course all the Democrats will oppose anything he tries to do unless like this Cromnibus fiasco, it happens to be the lesser of two evils.
Ernst, Cotton...and Sasse.
More coming in January.
It would be interesting to see how the NY-DC Media would attempt to malign the name ‘Gorilla Party’.
Tea Partiers are called Tea Baggers but what would ‘Gorillas’ be called? Apes? Monkeys? Banana Flappers?
Sounds racist to me!
Both of your Senators stood with Cruz on every vote, two of the eleven who did so. They did you proud.
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