If GOP Sen. Domenici Is Forced Out, Dem Gov. Richardson Would Appoint His Replacement

[babylonsister]

http://www.pensitoreview.com/2007/03/14/if-domenici-is-forced-out-dem-gov-would-name-replacement/

If GOP Sen. Domenici Is Forced Out, Dem Gov. Richardson Would Appoint His Replacement
Posted by Jon Ponder | Mar. 14, 2007, 8:35 am

The scandal swirling around Pres. Bush’s firing of eight U.S. Attorneys last December could lead to the resignation of Sen. Pete Domenici, R-New Mexico — which could change the dynamics in the Senate by adding another Democrat to the majority.
“Domenici is going to send over names tomorrow (not even waiting for Iglesias’s body to cool).”

David Iglesias, the fired prosecutor from New Mexico, testified to Congress last week that he believes that two New Mexico Republican members of Congress had him fired because he wouldn’t pursue their political opponent. One of the pols was Rep. Heather Wilson. The other was Sen. Domenici:

On the day of the Dec. 7 firings, Miers’s deputy, William Kelley, wrote that Domenici’s chief of staff “is happy as a clam” about Iglesias.

A week later, Sampson wrote: “Domenici is going to send over names tomorrow (not even waiting for Iglesias’s body to cool).”

If Domenici were to step down, his replacement would be named by New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat, who is running for president in 2008. Assuming the governor would replace Domenici with a Democrat, the balance of power in the Senate would undergo a subtle shift toward the Dems.

The parties are evenly divided now, with 48 Democrats and 48 Republicans, with two independents who both vote with Democrats. But one of those independents, Joe Lieberman, has been leaning Republican lately, especially on the war. The implicit threat that he might switch sides at any moment gives him power over the Democrats that he did not earn.

Upping the ranks of the Dems even by one vote would tend to neutralize Lieberman on issues related to the war, and it would put the Democrats one vote closer to a supermajority of 60 votes on appointments and clotures.

[yankeeinlouisiana]

1. 98 Senators?

48 (D) + 48 (r) = 96 + 2 (I) = 98

Where are the other two senators?


edit: added party affiliation

[eleny]

2. Maybe our Dem Senator who is ill was not added in

Sorry, I forget his name right off. But maybe he's not in the count. I don't know about a Republican missing from the total.

[yankeeinlouisiana]

5. Tim Johnson? I think that's his name.

After re-reading the article, I think they just made a mistake. I think it's 49 Ds, 49 Rs, and 2 Is voting with the Ds. Tim Johnson should be included in the total even though he's not voting yet.

:-)

[babylonsister]

3. Maybe they made a boo-boo.

Or their math sucks! :-)

[aquart]

4. Which is why Domenici will only go kicking and screaming.

They will fight to keep him in the Senate. Richardson's choice, of course, will make or break his candidacy. Not to mention revitalizing the governors whose prerogatives have been crapped on by this administration.

[Hippo_Tron]

6. Domenici won't resign, but he'll be vulnerable in 2008

It's only 3 months into the year and already we have another scandal-ridden GOP Senator. At this rate we'll have a filibuster proof Senate in 2008.