Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Independent Could Flip the Senate


A quiet lobbying campaign by a low-key man from Maine could determine which party controls the Senate next year.

Sen. Angus King, a Maine Independent, is holding private conversations with Independent Senate candidates to urge them against siding with Democrats or Republicans before the election.  In a narrowly divided Senate, this group of Independents could tip the balance of power and wield tremendous clout.

"If you announce in advance which party you're going to caucus with, you may as well just sign up and say I'm one or the other," King said.

King recently advised Independent Kansas Senate candidate Greg Orman on how to be most effective running outside the two party system.  Another Independent candidate, Larry Pressler of South Dakota, got similar pointers from King, who strongly suggested that Pressler evade questions about which party he will caucus with, just as King did when he first ran for the Senate two years ago.

After his 2012 election as an Independent, King decided to caucus with Democrats, who currently control the Senate.  But he's taking the same advice he's giving the candidates, refusing to rule out joining Republicans if they capture the Senate.

King said. "I'll make the caucus decision at the time based upon what I think is in the best interest of Maine."  "My first priority is to try to make the Senate work better, as an Independent I can help to do that, that's my goal."

King admitted he has been in talks with other moderate Senators in both parties for "the past six months or so" to form a centrist caucus.

However, he said it would be an informal group, and he does not envision breaking away any time soon from organizing around the two parties, as the Senate does now.

And while King is careful to say he is not sure there is a major trend towards Independent candidates quite yet, he openly dreams of Orman and Pressler actually winning and what that would mean for the future of Independents in politics.

"It's going to encourage other people in other states who are going to say 'look there are guys in the Senate who are doing this and it's not unthinkable.  They're getting things done," said King.










NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!

Michael H. Drucker
Technorati talk bubble Technorati Tag in Del.icio.us Digg! StumbleUpon

No comments: