Me, on Charlie Cook's call for a GOP Senate wipeout of Dems back on March 6:
In other words, Cook is predicting the GOP getting 58 seats if everything breaks their way. That would put them in range of 60, especially if such a crushing margin caused Maine Independent Angus King to flip from caucusing with the Dems. That would be 59.
The Hill's Alexander Bolton, this morning:
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.
So Angus King is even more of an opportunist than I originally thought. He will caucus with whichever party controls the Senate, so if the GOP does pick up six seats, he'll bolt to join them.
Then again, he did give that game away in 2012.
King said after the 2012 elections that being in the majority was important to him, when he announced his decision to caucus with Senate Democrats, giving them control of 55 seats.
“The outcome of last week’s election in some ways makes this decision relatively easy. In the situation where one party has a clear majority and effectiveness is an important criteria, affiliating with the majority makes the most sense,” King said at the time.
That will remain in play, apparently. New tag: Angus "Flipper" King.
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2 comments:
I find myself surprisingly haired off by the antics of Senator King (I-ME) and I would hope that the Democratic leadership has plans for dealing with him and his nonsense after the election. If we lose let him go, when we win kick him out: let him serve as junior assistant underchairman of the Senate Housekeeping Committee, and let him pick his nose as loyal members of the party pick up their earmarks. Best for Maine, my fanny!
Have no fear, everyone, the Democrats will do what they've always done since Inyoue sold out the party during the Iran-Contra hearings: the Dems will betray the voting base - as they always do - to suppress the Democratic vote and help the GOP win a wider margin.
The role of the Democratic Leadership is to pander to the right to make sure the GOP wins. In the rare event that the GOP screw up so bad that the Dems accidentally find themselves in the majority or the White House, they *always* redouble their efforts to demoralize the voting base. The last thing the Dems ever do is uphold the values of their voting base.
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