The Rightward Drift of The Democratic Caucus

Well, I'm sure most of you guys, if not still up working on your ethics papers, are feeling pretty euphoric about tonight's election results. The Democrats cruised right into a House majority and it is looking like 50-50 for the Senate, with control if Webb wins Virginia.

However, did you guys actually look at the candidates that won?

Bob Casey (PA-Senator): Pro-life.

Sherrod Brown (OH-Senator): Anti-war, but also the leading advocate for "fair trade," which just means he is anti CAFTA and free trade in general. (I detect a serious isolationist streak in his politics, which I fear will be mirrored by the incoming Freshman Democrats).

Brad Ellsworth IN-08: He is pro-life, pro-gun, against gay marriage, and hasn't promised that he will vote for Pelosi as speaker.

Heath Shuler NC-11: Again, pro-life, pro-gun (though apparently pro-environment).

Admittedly, these are the most extreme examples, and the new House members come from fairly conservative districts, but even in the more liberal districts, the individuals elected are definitely not Daily Kos Democrats.

And remember, the Democrats look like they are going to pick up about 30, which gives them a 15 seat majority. It may be a situation where the Democrats are going to have to cede a great deal of their agenda to appeasing the constituencies of these conservative districts.

I can see Democrats backpedaling on important social issues, like abortion, gun control, and trade, in order to pander to a now important swing constituency: the socially conservative working poor who have not only decided to vote their pocketbooks for a change (minimum wage increase, opposing CAFTA and other free trade deals), but also voting for candidates advocating foreign disengagement (harder lines on immigration, isolationism masked as anti-war sentiment, and opposing free trade). Essentially, these guys appear to be Pat Buchanan Democrats.

N.B.: Ironically, Chris Shays, who has retained his seat in CT-04, but was a primary target for the Democrats this year, is probably more liberal than the majority of the Freshman Democrats coming into the House for the next Congress.