Oops, that's my number (Senator Vitter)[MULTI-MERGED]

TPS said

So we're left with one Freshman Senator who has had a completely undistinguished first term both as a majority and minority senator, a bunch of first and second termers in the house and Mary who's got a shot at a 3rd term in the Senate which could be valuable for the state depending on assignments. If you want me to dig up that other thread with the link explaining why seniority is so important and how it affects assignments and power, I'll dig it up.

:9:

TPS

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The other thing that you didn't mention, though you no doubt know it, is that you get more goods in the majority than in the minority. And the GOP has twice as many Senate incumbents to defend in '08 than the Democrats -- plus the GOP has potential retirements in VA and CO which both have Dem governors and Dem junior Senators -- making it likely, regardless of the Vitter situation, that the Dems keep the Senate until Jan '11 -- Landrieu would be in the majority as well as in her 4th term.