The No Vote Grows

Fire of Liberty

According to this post by Mark Krikorian's over at the Corner, it looks like the list of senators pledging to vote "no" on cloture has grown to some 32 members. Here's a look:

Here's the latest I have, from Numbers USA. Since Tuesday's cloture motion (to bring the amnesty back up for debate) needs 60 votes to succeed, that means 41 senators either have to vote No or just be absent. There are 32 pretty solid No votes for cloture and, assuming Fredo doesn't go and drag Sen. Johnson in from his sickbed, that's 33 against.

The solid No votes on cloture are Alexander (R-Tenn.), Allard (R-Colo.), Baucus (D-Mont.), Byrd (D-W.Va.), Bunning (R-Ky.), Chambliss (R-Ga.), Coburn (R-Okla.), Corker (R-Tenn.), Cornyn (R-Texas), Crapo (R-Idaho), DeMint (R-S.C.), Dole (R-N.C.), Dorgan (D-N.D.), Enzi (R-Wyo.), Grassley (R-Iowa), Hutchison (R-Texas), Inhofe (R-Okla.), Isakson (R-Ga.), Landrieu (D-La.), McCaskill (D-Mo.), Pryor (D-Ark.), Roberts (R-Kan.), Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), Sanders (I-Vt.), Sessions (R-Ala.), Shelby (R-Ala.), Smith (R-Ore.), Stabenow (D-Mich.), Sununu (R-N.H.), Tester (D-Mont.), Thune (R-S.D.), Vitter (R-La.).

That leaves eight votes to get to 41.

The following 12 senators are leaning against the bill itself but so far are leaning toward the cloture motion — which means, in reality, that they would be helping pass the amnesty, because if the bill comes to a final vote, it will pass. These are the Senators whose decisions will likely determine whether the amnesty passes or not: Bond (R-Mo.), Bingaman (D-N.M.), Burr (R-N.C.), Boxer (D-Calif.), Cochran (R-Miss.), Conrad (D-N.D.), Ensign (R-Nev.), Levin (D-Mich.), Gregg (R-N.H.), Nelson (D-Neb.), Hatch (R-Utah), Webb (D-Va.).

After looking at the "no" votes, I'm betting that some of the Republican Senators are not going to be out-righted by their Democrat counterpart(like Senator Bond-R-Mo.) or go against what their fellow Republican Senator(Burr(R-NC), Gregg(R-NH). Now while these three might turn, its still five short of the 41 that's needed to kill cloture. Here's hoping that the remaining 12 who are against the bill will listen to their voters and follow through by voting "no" on cloture.


*Now it's true that a Republican will vote against their fellow Republican on this bill but after reading this piece in The Hill , Senator Graham(Who's up for election in 08) is learning what happens when you refuse to listen to your voters.