Republicans (and a few Big Oil lovers among the Democrats) tried to get the Keystone XL pipeline approved yesterday -- but they fell short by one vote. Since they brought it to the floor under a special procedure (which didn't permit any amendments), they needed 60 votes to get it passed. It failed by a vote of 59 to 41. All 45 Republicans voted for the pipeline -- and they were joined by 14 Democrats, led by the soon-to-be-defeated Mary Landrieu of Louisiana. There were 39 Democrats voting against the pipeline, and they were joined by both Independent senators.
Here are the 14 Democrats who voted against common sense, the environment, reasonable energy policy, and their own party:
Mary Landrieu (Louisiana)
Mark Begich (Alaska)
Michael Bennett (Colorado)
Tom Carper (Delaware)
Bob Casey (Pennsylvania)
Joe Donnelly (Indiana)
Kay Hagan (North Carolina)
Heidi Heitkamp (North Dakota)
Joe Manchin (West Virginia)
Claire McCaskill (Missouri)
Mark Pryor (Arkansas)
Jon Tester (Montana)
John Walsh (Montana)
Mark Warner (Virginia)
Immediately after the bill failed, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky took the floor and said there would be another vote early next year -- after the Republicans become the majority in the Senate. He thinks he can get it passed then, and he might be right. It all depends on how much Democratic help he can muster (and at least four of the Democrats above will no longer be available for him -- Landrieu, Pryor, Begich, and Hagan). Hopefully, with the addition of some new Democrats (and the filibuster), the Democrats can still muster 41 votes then.
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