Cross-Reference: Alito Vichys, Reelection Classes, and Gang of 14 Membership

I don't want to take energy away from the "thank you" calls that I consider the base of our effort "going forward." But I also want to start doing more detailed analysis of what the Alito vote meant, starting with identifying, more clearly, which good guys and bad guys are up for reelection and therefore need us either to help them survive or to put the hurt on them. And to identify how the Gang of 14 affected the outcome. (Hint: all seven Dems on the G14 voted against filibuster. 25+7 = 32, only six away from victory. And seven non-G14 Alito Vichys are up for reelection next year. I wonder what would have happened if (a) the G14 had put principle and party loyalty over Neville Chamberlain-style accommodationism, and (b) the others up for re-election had been more afraid of what losing our support might mean?)

Anyway, to get you thinking more on who we might want to target in the upcoming elections and what strategies we might use, here's a list of where all the key senators stand, reelection and G14-wise. "Class One" means they're up for reelection this year.

Two other notes: (1) I've put a couple of challengers' campaign links over on the right sidebar. That's not an endorsement, just stuff to chew on. (2) I've included Lincoln Chafee as a quasi good guy who might need our support: he may not have supported the filibuster, but he did break ranks and vote against Alito, and he's up for reelection this year too. Our goal is to liberalize the Senate, and I'll help a Republican occasionally to do that, just as I'm willing to sacrifice the occasional Democratic seat toward the larger prize.

Enoug blather. Here's the list to think about. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE post your thoughts about what this means, going forward!

Yeas on Cloture (Bad Guys):

Akaka (D-HI) Class One
Baucus (D-MT)
Bingaman (D-NM) Class One
Byrd (D-WV) Class One & G14
Cantwell (D-WA) Class One
Carper (D-DE) Class One
Conrad (D-ND) Class One
Dorgan (D-ND)
Inouye (D-HI) G14
Johnson (D-SD)
Kohl (D-WI) Class One
Landrieu (D-LA) G14
Lieberman (D-CT) Class One & G14
Lincoln (D-AR)
Nelson (D-FL) Class One
Nelson (D-NE) Class One & G14
Pryor (D-AR) G14
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO) G14

Nays on Cloture (Good Guys):

Bayh (D-IN)
Biden (D-DE)
Boxer (D-CA)
Clinton (D-NY) Class One
Dayton (D-MN) Class One
Dodd (D-CT)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA) Class One
Harkin (D-IA)(abstained from vote)
Jeffords (I-VT) Class One
Kennedy (D-MA) Class One
Kerry (D-MA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Menendez (D-NJ) Class One
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Obama (D-IL)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Sarbanes (D-MD) Class One
Schumer (D-NY)
Stabenow (D-MI) Class One
Wyden (D-OR)

Honorary Mention (Sorta Good Guy):

Chafee (R-RI)(the only Republican to vote no on Alito's confirmation itself): Class One & G14