Here's a brief look at the Republican 40-40 club (with 2010 election info courtesy of Electoral-Vote.com and demographic data from StateMaster.com.) Specifically, take a look at where the "hope to be re-elected" stand, so far, on Judge Sotomayor. Those running for re-election or other office in 2010 are starred. The Hispanic population rank -HPR- for the states where a Senator is up for re-election are in red.)
The up-shot, while the wingers outside the Beltway are busy fitting themselves for white hoods and straight jackets (and placing the few black and brown members of the GOP into one hell of a stress position), Republicans who actually have to get elected (or re-elected) to office are (mostly) keeping their powder dry. Here's where they stand so far:
- Lamar Alexander (TN) - He says he won't pre-judge.
- John Barrasso (WY) - Barrasso is as doctrinaire a right winger as there ever was, but so far he has released no official statements on Sotomayor. Maybe she could win him over by toting a firearm into the hearings?
- *Robert Bennett (UT) / HPR: 23 - Up for re-election. Safe seat. Both he and Orrin Hatch voted for Judge Sotomayor in 1998, though Hatch accused her of being a dastardly liberal. This time, Bennett is facing a primary challenge from his right flank, and he and Hatch may vote no on general political principle. So far, Hatch has been doing all the talking out of Utah, with Bennett releasing only the mildest of one-sentence statements.
- Kit Bond (MO) - Retiring from Senate. Abstained from vote in '98. Reacting with "caution" this time.
- Sam Brownback (KS) - Retiring from Senate. (He voted no on Sotomayor in '98 and remains "troubled" by her...)
- *Jim Bunning (KY) / HPR: 38 - Up for what could be the wierdest re-election campaigns of 2010, Crazy Jim Bunning has no statements up on his website concerning Sotomayor, and so far has refused to comment altogether.
- *Richard Burr (NC) / HPR: 10 - One term Senator up for re-election in cursed seat (it's changed hands more times than Angelina Jolie...) in a state with the 10th largest Hispanic population in the U.S. Gulp...
- Saxby Chamblis (GA) - See Johnny Isaakson, below.
- *Tom Coburn (OK) / HPR: 28 - Up for re-election. (His statement on Sotomayor. Cheat sheet: expresses doubts, but says give her a "fair and dignified hearing.")
- Thad Cochran (MS) - Voted yes on Sotomayor in '98.
- Susan Collins (ME) - Voted yes on Sotomayor in '98. Hard to believe she wouldn't do so again.
- Bob Corker (TN) - Non-committal so far. Says he'll examine her record.
- John Cornyn (TX) - Still facing a backlash from the right over his quick endorsement of Charlie Crist, you could imagine him opposing Sotomayor just to appease the RedState crowd.
- *Mike Crapo (ID) / HPR: 30 - Up for what should be an easy re-election. He and his fellow Idahoan are thinking the Sotomayor nomination over.
- *Jim DeMint (SC) / HPR: 35 - Up for re-election in a safe seat. Has said Sotomayor's writings raise "serious questions," but that he'll withhold judgement until the hearings.
- John Ensign (NV) - Says he'll work through the process, to make sure the former Yale law review editor and Princeton Summa Cum Laude has the "right intellect" to be a Supreme Court justice. Riiiight.... Someone must have pointed out how odd that sounds, because the official statement on his website is a lot more clipped.
- Michael Enzi (WY) - Enzi was a "no" vote in '98. And he's from Wyoming...
- Lindsey Graham (SC) - Miss Lindsey issued a sunny statement about how much he looks forward to "meeting" and questioning Judge Sotomayor. He wasn't there in '98, and his best buddy John McCain was a "no" back then, so it's hard to know which way he'll go (no pun intended.)
- *Chuck Grassley (IA) / HPR: 31 - Up for re-election to a safe seat. He issued a perfunctory statement about applying the law, not politics, and then went on to predict that Sotomayor will be confirmed.
- Judd Gregg (NH) - Quit on Obama in 2009, quitting on the Senate in 2010. He voted yes on Sotomayor in '98.
- Orrin Hatch (UT) - Voted yes on Sotomayor in '98.
- *Kay Bailey Hutchinson (TX) / HPR: 2 - Running for Gov. of Texas ... the state with the second largest Hispanic population in the U.S., and against one of the dimmest political bulbs on earth. On Sotomayor, says she looks forward to a "fair and open confirmation process" and little more.)
- James Inhofe (OK) - Not up for re-election until 2012. However, on Sotomayor, says her story is inspiring, wants a closer look at her record.
- *Johnny Isaakson (GA) / HPR: 11 - Up for re-election, but hell, it's Georgia. Still, the state has the 11th largest Hispanic population in the U.S., and why make it an issue? Isaakson issued a guarded, content-free statement on the Sotomayor nom. His fellow Georgia Senator, Saxby "Trash the Veteran" Chambliss, has left the door open to voting for her, too.
- Mike Johanns (NE) - Also non-committal so far.
- John Kyl (AZ) - He voted no on Sotomayor in '98, because he said he couldn't be sure she wouldn't decide cases based on "preconceived ideas." Plus, every time I see him on television, he comes across as kind of a jerk (he's already floated the idea of mounting a filibuster against Sotomayor's nomination.) I'm putting him down as a "no."
- Richard Lugar (IN) - Another yes vote for Sotomayor back in '98, and someone who has been singled out as an ally by President Obama. It would be hard to imagine him voting down her nomination.
- Mel Martinez (FL) - Melly Mel is retiring from the Senate, but if he ever wants to show his face in this state again, he'll vote "aye."
- *John McCain (AZ) / HPR: 5 - Re-election try will give him new opportunities to suspend his campaign. Arizona has the fifth largest Hispanic population in the U.S., however, which may be why he was a bit cagey with Hannity on the subject of Sotomayor the other day. That said, he and John Kyl both voted against her nomination to the Court of Appeals in '98.)
- Mitch McConnell (KY) - He was a "no" vote in '98, and if he thinks as much of Judge Sotomayor as he does of U.S. auto workers, he's probably a "no" again this time.
- *Lisa Murkowski (AK) / HPR: 42 - Up for re-election after being appointed by her dad. She's a smart pol, though, and on Sotomayor, probably the most open minded of the GOP Senators, especially given the fact that there's not a significant Hispanic population in her state. She firmly opposes any attempt to filibuster the nomination.
- James Risch (ID) - Who is james Risch? No, sorry, he and Crapo say they'll think it over.
- Pat Roberts (KS) - Another "no" vote from '98. He's already on record saying he will do so again, and he's not scared of her, even if she IS Hispanic!!! Why wait for the hearings when you can decide on a talk radio show?
- Jeff Sessions (AL) - The top Republican on Judiciary will lead the opposition case against Sotomayor. He was tough on her during the confirmation hearings in '97, and voted against her elevation to the 2nd Circuit in '98. No reason to believe he won't repeat both this time. Hopefully our old Confederate friend will be able to resist calling her "girl."
- Richard Shelby (AL) - Up for re-election but considered safe. He voted no on Sotomayor in '98 but has been pretty non-committal so far this time. Let's hope he can restrain himself from demanding Sotomayor's birth certificate...
- Olympia Snowe (ME) - Voted "yes" in '98. Will probably vote as Collins does, and that's probably a yes.
- *John Thune (SD) / HPR: 47 - Up for re-election (he's the guy who beat Tom Daschle, and don't think Democrats don't want revenge...) He issued a boilerplate conservative statement about not legislating from the bench, but hasn't exactly said he'd oppose Sotomayor, either.
- *David Vitter (LA) / HPR: 33 - Up for re-election in 2010. His state ranks #33 in Hispanic population and he's running against a former porn star. Still, Mr. Magic Pants would be a prime Democratic target, if only the D's could find someone to run who isn't related to Mary Landrieu. On Sotomayor, our saucy friend praises the historic nomination, and says he looks forward to giving her a "thorough review." You know ... that wouldn't sound gross coming from was someone else...
- George Voinovich (OH) - Retiring after two terms. Non-committal, but so far not negative on Sotomayor.
- Roger Wicker (MS) - Just got elected last year after being appointed by Haley Barbour in 2007, so not up for re-election until 2014. Still, on Sotomayor, says "treat her fairly."
For more analysis on how the Senate GOPers might vote in a futile attempt to stop Sotomayor, click here and here.Labels: Judge Sonia Sotomayor, Republicans, Supreme Court, U.S. Senate |
