Senate Begins New Chapter
Roll Call Staff
Related Content
Sen. Arlen Specter (Pa.) should not expect dinner invitations from his GOP colleagues anytime soon, but Republicans said it is unlikely his decision to bolt from their party will have long-lasting effects on their relationships with the Pennsylvanian.
Specter’s return to the Senate floor Wednesday evening — where he voted against the Democratic budget resolution — was marked by a warm greeting from several top Republicans, including Minority Whip Jon Kyl (Ariz.) and Sen. Judd Gregg (N.H.).
But that doesn’t mean his transition will be smooth sailing: His switch to the Democratic Party will likely require Specter to cull some of his staff and return millions in campaign contributions from Republicans, and it could prompt fights over committee ratios.
Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) said that while his defection hurts, Specter has developed a number of close friendships over his nearly 30 years in the Senate and it was unlikely those relationships would be affected.
“He has a lot of friends up here that have been [friends] for a long time, and I don’t sense that’s going to change,” Thune said.
Eric Ueland, a former Senate GOP leadership aide, said party switchers in the Senate are often more accepted by the losing side than one might assume, because of the historically collegial nature of the chamber.
“Out on the floor, there isn’t a lot of shunning that goes on,” said Ueland, who worked for several Senate GOP leaders including former Majority Leader Bill Frist (Tenn.).
Ueland acknowledged that switching does cause “old relationships to wither some and new relationships to flourish, but it’s not as if there’s some sort of back-turning that goes on.”
Thune also noted that Specter’s relationship with Republicans is likely helped by the fact that his departure will not prompt the tectonic shift in power caused by the 2001 defection of Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-Vt.).
“This doesn’t have the kind of game-changing quality. ... On the Richter scale it doesn’t even come close,” Thune said.
Jeffords, who for years sided with Democrats on many partisan issues, turned control of the chamber over to Democrats and then-Minority Leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) when he abandoned the GOP.
Republicans — including Specter — took Jeffords’ decision hard. In a speech following Jeffords’ defection, Specter likened it to a death in the family, a sentiment that many Republicans shared. Jeffords, at least initially, found himself on the outs with many of his Republican colleagues who were deeply wounded by his decision and their sudden loss of the majority.
Jeffords took over the Environment and Public Works chairmanship as a direct result of his party change. But he never appeared able to fully repair many of his relationships with Republicans. As time wore on — and particularly after Republicans regained control of the chamber in the 2002 elections — Jeffords often seemed to have difficulty fitting in with either party.
Former Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.), who was Majority Leader at the time of Jeffords’ historic switch, agreed that Specter’s party change won’t rise to the same level, and he predicted that any wounds will heal.
“It will soften over time. It’s human nature,” Lott said.
Some Republicans, however, argued that it is much less clear whether Specter will enjoy the kind of easy transition into a new party that others have in the past.
For instance, Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) switched parties on Nov. 9, 1994, the day after Republicans wrested control of the House and Senate from Democrats. Former Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.) abandoned the Democratic Party a few months later in March 1995.
Both Shelby and Campbell, despite some initial anger from Democrats, went on to have long and productive careers and over time developed new relationships with some of their former colleagues. Shelby and Campbell also found a comfortable home in their new parties.
Republicans warn that given his strong independent streak and an often cantankerous nature, Specter could find it much more difficult to fit in with his new colleagues.
One senior GOP aide said that over his 30 years in the Senate, Specter’s colleagues in the GOP have learned how to work with Specter and built strong working relationships with him, something that Republicans said is a time-intensive process.
“It had gotten to the point where everyone in our Conference interacted smoothly with Specter and understood that he could be cantankerous,” the aide said, warning that it will take time for Democrats to develop that kind of rapport.
“Six months or eight months down the line, no one’s going to care that he switched parties. They’re all going to see a ‘D’ after his name and wonder why he keeps opposing things and being a problem,” the aide predicted.
Baucus: We Must Reform Health Care Now
March 8, 12 a.m.
Ten years ago, Dan DeJong, a fourth-generation rancher from just outside Libby, Mont., was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Dan worked hard all his life, but when faced with massive bills to treat his cancer, Dan and his wife, Pat, had no choice but to sell the family’s land and apply for Medicaid and food stamps. Read Full Article
Roll Call Video Channels
