Organizing the Senate
On the hot topic of organizing the state Senate, everyone agrees, “It’s fluid.” Very fluid. What is true today about the likely makeup of a Senate majority may not be true tomorrow and probably wasn’t true yesterday.
Phillip Rawls of AP has a good story pointing out that in 1998 and 2002, the Senate had similar struggles that were not resolved until just before the election for president pro tem.
One possibility I have heard floated is that Barron could take himself out of the leadership mix. If some of the dissident Democrats had differences with Barron that were more personal than political, his stepping aside would allow some of the dissidents to come back to the Democratic Senate majority with a different president pro tem.
The group also has to set the rules of the Senate for the next quadrennium. Last quadrennium the rules stipulated that 21 votes were needed to remove the president pro tem and establish a new one.
Here’s an interesting what-if scenario… Theoretically, a hesitant Democratic senator might agree to caucus with the Republicans (with an 18-17 conservative majority) but only if the rules require only 18 votes to establish a new president pro tem in mid-term. If that senator became dissatisfied with the conservative majority, the senator could be the swing vote to remove the president pro tem and establish a new caucus majority with the Democrats. Rules requiring only 18 votes to change the president pro tem would certainly keep him on a short leash.
Back in the real world, I think it more likely that the Senate will give Lt. Governor Folsom some of the organizing authority that the Senate had taken from the lt. governor in recent years and given to the president pro tem.
I think this is all about getting Folsom some power as Lt.Gov.
The Democratic 6 caucuses with the Republicans. Folsom goes to Barron and says “I can deliver the votes to keep you on a President pro-tem, but you have to give the Lt. Gov. back some of his powers.” Barron agrees and Folsom brings enough of the “six” back into the fold to deliver the leadership post back to Barron.
Comment by Randi Bates — November 16, 2006 @ 8:11 am
Definitely one way it could unfold, Randi. Good thoughts.
It’s really like a kaleidoscope right now. Every time you look at it, it’s different.
Comment by Danny — November 16, 2006 @ 3:20 pm