Breaking down the Senate vote

Posted: Thursday, June 28, 2007 2:31 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: Congress

From NBC's Ken Strickland
Here's a snapshot of how election politics may have affected voting on today's Senate immigration bill. Because the vote was procedural in nature, simply to end debate and proceed to a final vote, the "yes" votes don't necessarily mean senators would have voted "yes" for the final bill. This is especially significant because had the debate continued, there would have been more votes on amendments that could have gutted core elements of the bill.

But those voting "no" will be considered responsible -- at least in political circles -- for killing the bill. Majority Leader Harry Reid made it clear that if the vote failed, he'd pull the immigration measure from the floor.

The Presidential candidates: All of the Democratic candidates voted YES. McCain, who was part of the bipartisan coalition that crafted and supported the bill, also voted YES. Brownback's initial vote was YES, but later, probably when the outcome was clear, switched to NO.

Senators up for reelection in 2008: On the Democratic side, all the blue state senators voted YES (Biden, Durbin, Kerry, Lautenberg, Levin, Reed). But those Democrats running in red or purples states voted NO (Baucus, Harkin, Landrieu, Pryor, Rockefeller).

Most of the Republican senators up for re-election this cycle voted NO (Alexander, Allard, Chambliss, Cochran, Coleman, Collins, Cornyn, Dole, Domenici, Enzi, Inhofe, McConnell, Roberts, Sessions, Smith, Stevens, Sununu, Warner). The exceptions, with YES votes, were Craig, Hagel, and Graham (who is one of the original and most vocal coalition members that wrote the bill).

Senate Leadership: The Republican leadership was split. GOP Leader McConnell, who's also up for re-election, voted NO. (He had voted YES on another procedural vote earlier this week.) McConnell was joined by Texas Sens. Hutchison and Cornyn, as well as Ensign, who's responsible for running the GOP senate campaigns this cycle. Lott and Kyl split with the leadership and voted YES.

All the members of the Democratic Leadership stuck together with YES votes: Reid, Durbin, Murray, and Schumer.

Presidential candidates
Democrats voting YES: (all of them) Clinton, Obama, Biden, Dodd
Republicans voting YES: McCain
Republican voting NO: Brownback (originally "yes" but switched)

Senators up for reelection in 2008
Democrats voting Yes:
Biden, Durbin, Kerry, Lautenberg, Levin, Reed
Democrats voting NO:
Baucus, Harkin, Landrieu, Pryor, Rockefeller

Republicans voting YES:
Craig, Graham, and Hagel
Republicans voting NO:
Alexander, Allard, Chambliss, Cochran, Colman, Collins, Cornyn, Dole, Domenici, Enzi, Inhofe, McConnell, Roberts, Sessions, Smith, Stevens, Sununu, Warner

Party Switchers
Democrats voting NO:
Baucus, Bayh, Bingaman, Brown, Byrd, Dorgan, Harkin, Landrieu, McCaskill, Pryor, Rockefeller, Sanders, Stabenow, Tester, and Webb.

Republicans voting YES:
Bennett, Craig, Graham, Gregg, Hagel, Kyl, Lott, Lugar, Martinez, McCain, Snowe, and Specter.

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Comments

It's time to clean out both houses of the "Demopublicans". And kick their "pachyasses" out!!

Marcia Van Lenten, Shohola, PA (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 3:24 PM)

Enforce the laws already on the books. Build the fence as has already been enacted by the Congress.
Fund the expanded Border patrol, as was already enacted by Congress.
Lock our borders down, just like China, Russia, Venezuela, and Iran do..

Ah, populist conservative democracy in action: Who else could defeat a majority Democrat Congress AND a sitting Repub President, just by E-mail and phone calls?

jtb (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 3:42 PM)

I bet that the Bush administration will turn around and criticize the Democrats who voted for the bill.

Any takers?

Russell in Maryland (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 4:14 PM)

So dirty diaper Harry Reid was afraid Ted Kennedy and La Raza's amendments would be striped out because of the "will of the people" so he pulled the bill, and went home. Well the 90% Liberal media will give him plenty of cover, and no democrats will be held accountable for what they tried to do to "the people"

Dave, Tn (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 4:17 PM)

Hu? Is Dave from this planet? Where is he getting his information? Oh, I know, the Rush guy, the one that's high as a kite. Oh, well, another upstanding Republican.

Ravine Force, Kissimmee, FL (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 4:49 PM)

A very simple solution to illegal immigration. Impose stiff fines and jail time on those who employ illegals and for those that use false documentation.

Penman, Stuart, Florida (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 4:54 PM)

La Raza looses as all racists should. The American people win. I am tired of subsidizing the rich of Mexico who are themselves racists, as they care not for their brown people. Build the fence now. Stop terrorists from coming here. Lock uo employers who hire illegal alians. Enforce the laws already on the books. Keep America American.

Marc J. Moniz (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 5:01 PM)

BECAUSE THIS A GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE. BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE. IT'S SO GOOD TO SEE THAT THIS IS FINALLY WORKING AS THE FOUNDING FATHERS MEANT IT TO. THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN !

SANDY, CALIFORNIA (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 5:07 PM)

Since there's no mention of Joe Lieberman did he change his vote from "Yes" to "No"? Maybe Strickland just can't bear to mention his name.

Bangkok (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 5:17 PM)

The people spoke and plutocracy took it on the chin. The issue isn't so much illegal immigration as an all-out invasion. This illegal influx is threatening the very core of the most noble precepts of our democratic heritage, a heritage founded on the notion of an endowing Creator espousing individual rights and sovereignty. At what point are the proponents of such an invasion guilty of treason?

Mike, Mesa, AZ (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 5:45 PM)

are we nuts
this immigration law is so bad i don't even know where to start. thank god its junked. you can't built a decent and just society on a criminal base. the seeds of distruction are embedded in any society that disregards or alters its laws for special interests. not to mention the added costs in health, schools, welfare, social security, legal and inarceration of the illegals. a discussion of the loss of jobs for the honest american workers hasn't even begun and that's a whole area that must be considered. we havn't even begun to describe the pain and suffering of the people who were raped, murdered, mugged, etc. from illigal aliens. they must go back to their country and apply legally or you are beginning the end of this country. a country that has given so much to so many. they must start all over again in an honest way and show why they will benefit this country before we let them in again. above all, they must respect us and our laws as we all must. by fining employers that hire illigals heavily we could stop this practice and relieve ourselves of this immoral problem.

barry haller (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 5:55 PM)

Good point Bangkok, where did Liebermann cast his lot? One point I rarely see addressed that resonates with me is the plight of the thousands of would be legal immigrants waiting for years for their turn because quotas are keep too low because of all the illegal immigrants. Those are the kind of honest rule and law following people we want yet they get the short end.

Russell in Maryland (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 6:06 PM)

Defeat of this Immigration Bill is a great thing for America. The Federal Government needs to enforce present law. We should stop most illegal aliens from crossing, and stop employers from hiring them. After this is done then we can discuss what to do about the illegal aliens in the country.

Richard Harper (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 6:12 PM)

What a releif. The majority in the Senate finally did what they were elected to do. REPRESENT THE MAJORITY. The fight isn't over yet. You will notice that all the presidential canidates, who are current Senators, voted "yes". Do we really want a President that doesn't represent or respond to the majority - I would hope that we've all learned that lesson.

Dana, UT (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 6:14 PM)

As an Independent who usually votes Democrat for the enviroment, I will not vote for anyone who votes against our country & for the Mex. Gov. Why are they doing this...anyone else watch Lou Dobbs? He'll get my vote in 2008. The politicians have for the most part sold us all out. Traitors! Ron Paul's starting to look good also. Are there no Democrats who still love this country...what are they thinking?

Marty (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 7:18 PM)

Cut off all Foreign Aid to Mexico until THEY stop the flow!

Jim,Phoenix,Az. (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 9:08 PM)

Today was a day which we were shown ""Congress" is nothing but a ""bunch of useless clowns""! These self serving Idiots have not the intention of solving any problem which drives this nation to it's knees!! These are the clowns you sent to Washington as your ""VOICE""! I am shamed beyond having to hide my head! These ""Homesteaders"" are destroying all the common laws and values which this country had thirty years ago!! The ""Moral conduct and respect has slid into the gutter!! Thank Hillary and her scum bag ""Old Man""! There are plenty of others which share the blame ""More over SHAME"" I is time to shove these ""Homesteaders to the side and elect people with moral content!

Scandals and disrespect for our nation must be stopped.. What do SAY????

STRAIT UP (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 9:18 PM)

Now we understand the people we sent to Washington have earned their ""$4,464.00 raise this month!! LOL

Or more like why isn't there a call to impeach the whole damned worthless bunch of homesteaders! America must take back Washington and not soon enough! We have 12 million Illegals ""Known"" walking around our streets, These Illegals belong to inner city gangs, fill our prisons and jails, over whelmed our community services, defy our laws, send billions of dollars out of the country, use our streets to display flags of other nations.. America it is clean up time!!! It is time to demand law and order!!!

Straight up (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 9:27 PM)

They still talk about how to handle the illegal influx..even after the public has spoken. O'Reilly talks about giving them a case by case review to see if they should be allowed to stay. Where is that money coming from Bill? What part of THEY ARE BREAKING THE LAW BY BEING HERE...don't supporters of the illegals understand. Build the fence! Obey the laws of our land! Illegals go home! Simple..what's so hard to understand???

Mary Lafayette, IN (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 9:34 PM)

All of these Democrat presidental candidates voted yes which means that none of them are qualified to lead this country. Here we have Democrats who say they are for the poor black, yet they want to get as many illegals in the country as possible to undercut wages. Either these Democratic candidates are dishonest or dumb and illogical. Put employers of illegal immigrants in jail and the problem will solve itself as well as raise the standard of living for poor whites and blacks.

Dan, CA (Sent Thursday, June 28, 2007 11:05 PM)

US LATINO CITIZENS SHOULD SOON REALIZE THAT ILLEGALS ARE MORE AND MORE THREATENING THEIR INTERESTS BECAUSE OF COMPETITION FOR JOBS AND WAGES, MORE TAXES, DECAYING GOVERNMENT SERVICES AND INFRASTRUCTURE (HOSPITALS, SCHOOLS, POLICE, WELFARE, JAILS, ROADS AND HIGHWAYS,PARKS,POLLUTION AND DISEASE CONTROL ETC), THEY WILL THEN VOTE OUT THOSE DEMOCRATS WHO CARE ONLY FOR POLITICAL POWER AND WHO ASSUME THAT CITIZEN LATINOS WILL VOTE FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY FAVOR ILLEGALS.

J. T., LOS ANGELES , CALIF. (Sent Friday, June 29, 2007 2:49 AM)

what do people here think would be a rational policy? i agree we should enforce the existing laws, except i think that babies born here would only become citizens automatically if they were children of people who are here LEGALLY. beyond that, i think there should be a rational path to citizenship, and a guest-worker program, if allowed at all, should be small and strictly monitored. it has always entertained me to see republicans who profess to be disciples of marketplace discipline begin screaming for extra-country relief when the market suggests they should be paying their workers more.

kathleen, glastonbury ct (Sent Friday, June 29, 2007 7:31 AM)

I say we just give Mexico back the 525,000 square miles we stole from them in the Mexican-American War which comprised about 52% of their country at the time. This territory included parts of the modern-day U.S. states of Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, and Wyoming, as well as the whole of California, Nevada, and Utah. If they had all of their territory back, then all of the undocumented or so-called "illegal" immigrants from Mexico would instantly have legal status as they would be back in their own country. Additionally, with the economic boon they would receive from having lucrative realestate and commerce found in places like California, they would do well enough that they would have no need to make the perilous trek across our border. They could perhaps make living wages provided that is that both our countries do not continue to decline as a result of multinational companies continuing to move all of their production to China.

Bill Garrot, Greensboro, North Carolina (Sent Friday, June 29, 2007 5:52 PM)

99.999% of all people in this country are/were immigrants at one time. Most of the comments on this board are from complete and utter morons!!!!!Did shooting down this bill take even one single step towards solving the current immigration epidemic???? NO!!! Democracts/Republicans.....Same peices of sh!t, just different piles!! I'm afraid in the not too distant future, the U.S is going to see who REALLY is running this country!!! Guess what....to habla espanol?

Mark, NC (Sent Saturday, June 30, 2007 1:54 AM)

Mark from NC,
you obviously have no idea of what is in this stupid immigration bill. The only moron in this group is you...sometimes even you must think before you open your mouth. Do some homework!!!! And to answer your question...yes, it’s a start.

barry, ny (Sent Friday, July 06, 2007 10:54 AM)

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