senatebak1

===

see senate 2 for post 1/16capt 419

scorecard and baseball cards 5/15

<a href="http://action.sierraclub.org/site/DocServer/1000_FAR_Scouting_ReportOnly_10_web.pdf?docID=17562">http://action.sierraclub.org/site/DocServer/1000_FAR_Scouting_ReportOnly_10_web.pdf?docID=17562</a>

JON TESTER (D-MT) Team: Clean Air Aces Joined the League: January 3,

2007 Hometown: Big Sandy, MT BIO: Senator Tester is a Montanan to keep

an eye on this season, as families across the state are eagerly watching

his progress in fighting for energy independence. He’s shown he can

produce on climate action, clean energy, and energy efficiency. We’re

pretty confident he can put up All-Star numbers and give the fans what

they want: big hits protecting our air and our water from toxic

pollution while growing the clean energy economy. QUOTED: “Agriculture

and outdoor recreation power Montana’s economy. From floods to fires to

beetle-killed trees, we know the consequences of the changing climate.

State-based solutions that limit the effects of climate change will keep

these industries and our economy strong.” 28 SEASON HIGHLIGHTS: «

Senator Tester has voted right on all critical votes for climate action,

clean air, and clean energy solutions across the board. STATS: «

Climate: « Clean Air: « Clean Energy: « Energy Efficiency: WHAT YOU CAN

DO: Get in the game! Thank Senator Tester for protecting Montana and

standing up against polluters by calling

majority b/c of 2014 election GOP  Inhofe back in charge

The U.S. Senate on Wednesday voted 98-1 to approve a resolution

stating that “it is the sense of the Senate that climate change is real

and not a hoax.” Then, about 15 minutes later, the Senate rejected a

second resolution that said climate change is real and caused by humans.

The first resolution was approved — and co-sponsored — by one of the

most outspoken climate deniers in the Senate, Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK), a

man who literally <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Greatest-Hoax-Conspiracy-Threatens/dp/1936488493">wrote a book</a>

about how climate change is the “greatest hoax ever perpetrated.” The

only Senator to vote against the resolution was Sen. Roger Wicker

(R-MS).

Sounds too good to be true, right? That’s because it is. At the last

minute, right before a vote was taken, Inhofe took the floor to state

that he would be co-sponsoring and approving the amendment on the

grounds that yes, climate change is real, but human-caused

climate change is not. “Man cannot change climate,” Inhofe said. “The

hoax is that there are some people that are so arrogant to think that

they are so powerful that they can change climate.”

The resolution was originally put forth by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse

(D-RI) as an amendment to the bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline.

It was widely seen as a way to troll Republicans — a way for Democrats

to say “Fine, if you want to approve the Keystone XL pipeline, you have

to go on record about whether you think global warming is real.”

But Jim Inhofe out-trolled Sheldon Whitehouse. Jim Inhofe out-trolled us all.

Fortunately, the effort to get every Senator on the record about

their stance on human-caused climate change was not all for naught.

Shortly after the vote on Whitehouse’s resolution, the Senate also took

up an amendment from Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), which stated that climate

change is real and that humans contribute to it. That

amendment failed, however, following a short speech from Sen. Lisa

Murkoswki (R-AK) saying that the amendment’s inclusion of the word

“significantly” — as in, humans “significantly” contribute to global

warming — should warrant a “no” vote. Schatz’s amendment failed 50-49

(it needed 60 votes to pass), but it does mean that a slim majority of

the U.S. Senate acknowledges that climate science is a real and valid

thing.

Among the votes against Schatz’ amendment acknowledging that climate

change is real were Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH).

Republicans who voted to say that climate change is real and

significantly caused by humans included Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-TN),

Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark Kirk (R-IL), and Lindsey

Graham (R-SC).

 lcv 2013

Senate COMMITTEE CHAIR SCORE RANKING MEMBER SCORE

Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Stabenow (MI) 100 Cochran (MS) 31

Appropriations Mikulski (MD) 92 Shelby (AL) 23

Commerce, Science and Transportation Rockefeller (WV) 85 Thune (SD) 8

Energy and Natural Resources Wyden (OR) 100 Murkowski (AK) 38

Environment and Public Works Boxer (CA) 100 Vitter (LA) 15

Senate Scores above 90:

California Boxer · Feinstein Colorado Bennet · Udall, M. 

Connecticut Blumenthal · Murphy, C. Delaware Carper · Coons 

Hawaii Hirono · Schatz illinois Durbin iowa Harkin Maine King, 

A. Maryland Cardin · Mikulski Massachusetts Cowan · Kerry 

· Markey · Warren Michigan Levin, C. · Stabenow minnesota

Franken · Klobuchar montana Tester Nevada Reid, H. New 

hampshire Shaheen New Jersey Menendez New Mexico Heinrich

· Udall, T. New York Gillibrand · Schumer ohio Brown, Sherrod 

Oregon Merkley · Wyden Rhode Island Reed, J. · Whitehouse 

south dakota Johnson, Tim Vermont Leahy · Sanders Virginia

Kaine Washington Cantwell Wisconsin Baldwin

---

Highest Senate Delegations:

Connecticut 100% · Hawaii 100% · Massachusetts 100% · 

Michigan 100% · Minnesota 100% · New Mexico 100% · 

New York 100% · Oregon 100% · Vermont 100% 

Lowest Senate Delegations:

Wyoming 0% · Oklahoma 4% · Idaho 8% · Kentucky 8% · 

Utah 8%

Senate Scores below 10:

Florida Rubio Idaho Crapo · Risch Kansas Roberts Kentucky 

McConnell ohio Portman oklahoma Coburn · Inhofe 

Pennsylania Toomey South Carolina Scott, T. South Dakota

Thune Texas Cornyn Utah Hatch · Lee, M. Wisconsin Johnson, 

R. Wyoming Barrasso · Enzi

===

ALEC Alumni in Congress include<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Alumni_in_Congress#cite_note-1" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; white-space: nowrap; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">[1]</a><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Alumni_in_Congress#cite_note-2012ALECHouse-2" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; white-space: nowrap; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">[2]</a>:

<h2 style=" color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-image: none; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); font-weight: normal; margin: 0px 0px 0.6em; overflow: hidden; padding-top: 0.5em; padding-bottom: 0.17em; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 19px; font-family: sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 19.200000762939453px; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">U.S. Senate</h2>

<ul style=" line-height: 19.200000762939453px; list-style-type: disc; margin: 0.3em 0px 0.5em 1.6em; padding: 0px; list-style-image: url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAUAAAANAQMAAABb8jbLAAAABlBMVEX///8AUow5QSOjAAAAAXRSTlMAQObYZgAAABNJREFUCB1jYEABBQw/wLCAgQEAGpIDyT0IVcsAAAAASUVORK5CYII=); color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Sen. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Mike_Enzi" title="Mike Enzi" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Mike Enzi</a> (R-WY)</li><li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Sen. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Lindsey_Graham" title="Lindsey Graham" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Lindsey Graham</a> (R-SC)</li><li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Sen. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/James_Inhofe" title="James Inhofe" class="mw-redirect" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">James Inhofe</a> (R-OK)</li><li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Sen. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Jon_Kyl" title="Jon Kyl" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Jon Kyl</a> (R-AZ)<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Alumni_in_Congress#cite_note-3" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; white-space: nowrap; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">[3]</a></li><li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Sen. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Joe_Manchin" title="Joe Manchin" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Joe Manchin</a> (D-WV)</li><li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Sen. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Jerry_Moran" title="Jerry Moran" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Jerry Moran</a> (R-KS)</li><li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Sen. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Jim_Risch" title="Jim Risch" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Jim Risch</a> (R-ID)</li><li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Sen. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Marco_Rubio" title="Marco Rubio" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Marco Rubio</a> (R-FL)</li><li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Sen. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Richard_Shelby" title="Richard Shelby" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Richard Shelby</a> (R-AL)</li><li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Sen. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Roger_Wicker" title="Roger Wicker" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Roger Wicker</a> (R-MS)</li><li style=" margin-bottom: 0.1em;">Former Sen. <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/George_Allen" title="George Allen" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">George Allen</a> (R-VA) (currently running for U.S. Senate against former VA Gov. Tim Kaine (D))<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Alumni_in_Congress#cite_note-2001ALEC-4" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; white-space: nowrap; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">[4]</a> recipient of <a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Award_Winners" title="ALEC Award Winners" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">ALEC's Thomas Jefferson Freedom Award</a> in 1996,<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Alumni_in_Congress#cite_note-5" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; white-space: nowrap; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">[5]</a> former co-chair of ALEC Federal Forum<a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Alumni_in_Congress#cite_note-6" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; white-space: nowrap; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">[6]</a><a href="http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/ALEC_Alumni_in_Congress#cite_note-7" style=" text-decoration: none; color: rgb(11, 0, 128); background-image: none; white-space: nowrap; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">[7]</a></li></ul>

===

WASHINGTON

-- A group of 28 senators will take over the Senate floor on Monday

evening for an all-night talk-a-thon on climate change.

The

senators plan to start their climate-fest on Monday, March 10, after

the last votes, and continue until around 9 a.m. on Tuesday. The

senators are part of the Climate Action Task Force, which was<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/09/senate-climate-task-force_n_4570627.html" target="_hplink" style=" box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-decoration: none; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">launched in January</a>.

The

event, said Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), is meant "to show the growing

number of senators who are committed to working together to confront

climate change."

The number of participating senators has grown since the event was <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/13/senate-climate-change_n_4784386.html" target="hplink" style=" box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-decoration: none; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">first announced several weeks ago</a>. Now they're up to 26 Democrats and two independents. The senators are also planning to tweet the event using the <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Up4Climate&src=tyah" target="hplink" style=" box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(57, 152, 0); text-decoration: none; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">hashtag #Up4Climate</a>.

The

following senators are participating: Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Dick Durbin

(D-Ill.), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), Patty Murray, (D-Wash.), Brian

Schatz (D-Hawaii), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Barbara Boxer,

(D-Calif.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Bill Nelson

(D-Fla.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.), Bernie

Sanders (I-Vt.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Mark Udall (D-Colo.), Tom

Udall (D-N.M.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Kirsten

Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.),

Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Angus King (I-Maine),

Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and

Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

===

DENIERS IN THE SENATE

Sen. Kelly Ayotte

NH

Asked if she believed in climate change, she said, “there is

scientific evidence that demonstrates there is some impact from human

activities. However I don’t think the evidence is conclusive.” [source]

Sen. John Barrasso

WY

When Barrasso was in college and medical school, he said, the "best

science at the time said that the Ice Age is coming.... So all I'm

saying is, how much of the wealth of this nation are we going to put at

risk for something that may be poorly spent money?"[source]

Sen. Roy Blunt

MO

“There isn’t any real science to say we are altering the climate path of the earth.”[source]

Sen. John Boozman

AR

"Well I think that we’ve got perhaps climate change going on. The

question is what’s causing it. Is man causing it, or, you know, is this a

cycle that happens throughout the years, throughout the ages. And you

can look back some of the previous times when there was no

industrialization, you had these different ages, ice ages, and things

warming and things. That’s the question."[source]

Sen. Thomas Coburn

OK

“I’ve read the basic scientific studies, and a lot of it doesn’t add up for me,”[source]

Sen. John Cornyn

TX

“Taxpayer funded research by NASA and the Goddard Institute for Space

Studies (GISS) concerning the warmest years on record has been the

subject of dispute and after challenges, has been changed and

re-released. What is less known is why the changes were made and what

inherent flaws existed in the original data, if any. It is important to

understand the reasons behind these alterations and further to avoid

suspicion that data was massaged to fit the prescribed theory that

global warming is attributable to man-made greenhouse gas

emissions.”[source]

Sen. Michael Crapo

ID

"While there is no dispute over the fact that the Earth’s climate has

changed many times over the planet’s history, the underlying cause of

these climactic shifts is ultimately not well-understood and is a matter

of vigorous debate."[source]

Sen. Ted Cruz

TX

"There remains considerable uncertainty about the effect of the many

factors that influence climate: the sun, the oceans, clouds, the

behavior of water vapor (the main greenhouse gas), volcanic activity,

and human activity. Nonetheless, climate-change proponents based their

models on assumptions about those factors, and now we know that many of

those assumptions were wrong."[source]

Sen. Deb Fischer

NE

Asked about man-made climate change, Fischer immediately said, 'I

certainly don't support cap-and-trade.' She said she believes in weather

change, but she said she does not believe man has a huge impact on the

climate. [source]

Sen. Chuck Grassley

IA

"But the scientific aspect that I still reserving judgment on is the

extent to which it’s manmade or natural. And it’s reasonable,

considering that there’s at least a natural factor in it, because

historically, and you can go to the core drillings in the glaciers to

get proof of this, that we’ve had decades and decades, and maybe even

centuries of periods of time when there’s been a tremendous rise in

temperature, and then a tremendous fall in temperature. And all you’ve

got to do is look at the little ice age of the mid-last millennia as an

example. And so we’ve got to single out what’s natural and what’s

manmade before you can make policy."[source]

Sen. Orrin Hatch

UT

"There is also some disagreement among scientists as to whether

global warming – regardless of its cause – would result in a net benefit

or detriment to life on earth. Scientific studies demonstrate

overwhelmingly that humans tend to fare better during warming spells

than periods of cooling."[source]

Sen. John Hoeven

ND

"Well, the science shows that there’s warming. There’s different opinions of exactly what’s causing it."[source]

Sen. Jim Inhofe

OK

"I have offered compelling evidence that catastrophic global warming

is a hoax. That conclusion is supported by the painstaking work of the

nation's top climate scientists."[36] [source]

Sen. John Isakson

GA

"Science has shown us that there has been a gradual warming of the

earth over the last 50 years. What is not as clear is whether the cause

for this warming is man-made emissions, a cyclical warming of the

planet, or a combination of both. Given the uncertainty in the science

behind climate change, I believe that we should take proactive steps,

both personally and as a nation, to reduce our emissions

footprint."[source]

Sen. Mike Johanns

NE

There is a significant debate as to what role man plays in warming of the climate. [source]

Sen. Ron Johnson

WI

"“I absolutely do not believe in the science of man-caused climate

change,” Johnson said. “It’s not proven by any stretch of the

imagination. It's far more likely that it's sunspot activity or just

something in the geologic eons of time.”[source]

Sen. Rand Paul

KY

"[Scientists] are making up their facts to fit their conclusions. They’ve already caught them doing this."[source]

Sen. Rob Portman

OH

"When you analyze all the data, there is a warming trend according to

science. But the jury is out on the degree of how much is

manmade."[source]

Sen. Pat Roberts

KS

"There’s no question there’s some global warming, but I’m not sure

what it means. A lot of this is condescending elitism."[source]

Sen. Marco Rubio

FL

The government can’t change the weather. I said that in the speech.

We can pass a bunch of laws that will destroy our economy, but it isn’t

going to change the weather. --- "I don't think there's the scientific

evidence to justify it," he told the Tampa Tribune[source]

Sen. Richard Shelby

AL

"Global warming continues to be an issue of significant debate in

Congress and throughout the scientific community. In addition, important

scientific research is ongoing as there are still many questions that

must be answered before we take steps to address this issue. For

example, is the climate change phenomenon cyclical or is it a function

of manmade pollutants, or both? I believe the science must be firmly

grounded before we take any actions that could seriously cripple many

sectors of our economy."[source]

Sen. Pat Toomey

PA

"My view is: I think the data is pretty clear. There has been an

increase in the surface temperature of the planet over the course of the

last 100 years or so. I think it’s clear that that has happened. The

extent to which that has been caused by human activity I think is not as

clear. I think that is still very much disputed and has been

debated."[source]

Sen. David Vitter

LA

"I do not think the science clearly supports global warming theory."[source]

Sen. Roger Wicker

MS

"Science shows that there is an increase of carbon dioxide in Earth’s

atmosphere. But it has not been compellingly proven that mankind is

responsible for the rise in atmospheric CO2, nor is it clear what impact

CO2 has on Earth’s temperatures."[source]

Thanks to RL Miller for contributing to some of the original research in tracking down this information.

==

<h1 class="post-title">DISCLOSE Act Blocked in the Senate</h1>

<div class="entry-content">Earlier this evening, the DISCLOSE Act died

in the Senate by a vote of 51-44. The bill would make have made it

harder to anonymously donate money to politically active organizations

by requiring that corporations, unions, super PACs and others report

“campaign expenditures” over $10,000 within 24 hours. As expected,

Republicans unanimously opposed the bill. Democrats are holding a late

session tonight to make speeches in favor of the legislation, which

needed 60 votes to proceed.</div>

===

Divisive Republican primaries, an out-of-nowhere GOP retirement in

Maine and an unexpectedly competitive race in North Dakota add up to an

unpredictable battle for control of the Senate this fall, confounding

early forecasts that an era of Democratic rule was inevitably coming to

an end.

Adding to the uncertainty, tea party-backed challengers are on the

primary ballot against establishment candidates in New Mexico and Texas

in the coming weeks, a continuation of an internal Republican struggle

that Democrats hope will aid them as it did in 2010.

With the support of two independents, Democrats now hold an effective

53-47 majority in the Senate, control that they and President Barack

Obama can ill afford to lose. Republicans have repeatedly pushed their

own versions of legislation through the House in the past year, only to

have it blocked or altered by the Democratic Senate.

Democrats are defending 23 of the 33 Senate seats on the ballot this

fall, including the two held by independents. Republicans must gain four

to be assured of a majority when the new Congress convenes in 2013.

Republicans claim Nebraska, North Dakota, Missouri and Montana as the

states where they have the best chance to pick up seats, followed by

Wisconsin, New Mexico and, possibly, Ohio.

Democrats point to Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada and perhaps Indiana,

where veteran Sen. Richard Lugar fell in a primary to a tea party-backed

challenger, as opportunities to offset any losses they suffer

elsewhere. They also claim hopes for Arizona, which Obama's campaign

hopes to make competitive in his race against Mitt Romney.

"I would say we still have a great opportunity to win a majority,"

said Rob Jesmer, the executive director of the Senate Republican

campaign organization. He said his party is defending only three

seriously contested seats it holds and is mounting strong challenges in

10 or 12. His bottom line: "We feel good about our chances, but it is

going to be close."

Even that is an acknowledgment of a shift that has taken place in the

political landscape since the two parties began evaluating their

chances for 2012 more than a year ago.

" I just remember when I took this on a year and a half ago, there

wasn't anyone who said this was easy or we were going to get the

majority or we even had a chance," said Sen. Patty Murray, the head of

the Democratic counterpart organization. "The map has changed

dramatically" since then, she said.

Still unknown is the full impact of outside groups, including the

newly formed super PACs that operate under rules that allow them to

accept donations of unlimited size.

For example, conservative organizations already have spent millions

of dollars on television advertising against Democratic Sen. Sherrod

Brown of Ohio in hopes of making him vulnerable to a challenge, $6.5

million by his campaign's own count.

While outside groups have recently pumped in an estimated $700,000 to

support Brown, a spokesman said Wednesday his lead in the race as

measured in public polling has been cut roughly in half. The first-term

incumbent recently began advertising on his own.

The list of competitive races underscores the impact that

retirements, candidate recruitment and primaries have had on the

fortunes of the two parties since the 2010 elections.

Democratic Sen. Ben Nelson's decision to retire in Nebraska opened up an early opportunity for Republicans.

Democrats countered by recruiting Bob Kerrey, a Medal of Honor

winner, former governor and former senator who has more recently been a

university president in New York – and boasted they had at least made

the race competitive.

But little-known state Sen. Deb Fischer emerged victorious Tuesday

night in a three-way Republican primary after winning an endorsement

from Sarah Palin and benefiting from a $200,000 ad campaign backed by TD

Ameritrade founder and Chicago Cubs co-owner Joe Ricketts.

Privately, Republicans and Democrats both said Wednesday that her win had probably made Kerrey's comeback more difficult.

North Dakota looked like a sure thing for Republicans when Democratic Sen. Kent Conrad announced plans to retire.

But Democratic challenger Heidi Heitkamp, a former attorney general,

is credited with running a strong campaign that even Republicans concede

has made her race against Rep. Rick Berg a competitive one – even

though the state is expected to vote heavily for Romney this fall. At a

minimum, the GOP and allied groups are likely to be forced to spend

money on television advertising that once seemed unnecessary.

In Missouri, a three-way Republican primary is on the horizon, but

already Sen. Claire McCaskill is rated among the most endangered

incumbents of either party. Unlike other Democrats in tough races, she

probably won't benefit from the White House race, since Obama appears

unlikely to spend time or money in the state.

In Montana, Democratic Sen. Joe Tester has been defending his seat

against a challenge from Rep. Dennis Rehberg in a race that is expected

to remain close through Election Day.

Democrats' chances got a lift in Maine with Sen. Olympia Snowe's

decision to retire, although they still have virtually no chance of

winning the seat outright.

The primaries won't be held until August, but former Gov. Angus

King's decision to run as an independent has overshadowed all other

events. He won't say which party he would side with if elected to the

Senate. Republicans say they doubt it would be them and have encouraged

speculation it would be the Democrats, an apparent attempt to sully his

chances.

In Massachusetts, Democrats viewed Republican Sen. Scott Brown as an

interloper after he won the race to fill out the unexpired term of the

late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy. They eagerly recruited Elizabeth Warren to

run after Republicans blocked her nomination to a consumer protection

post in the Obama administration.

Warren has raised more money than Brown since joining the race,

pulling in $15.8 million as of her most recent report to the Federal

Election Commission. But she has stumbled recently following the

disclosure that she had listed herself as having Native American

heritage in law school directories.

In Nevada, Democratic hopes rest on the party's ability to defeat

appointed Sen. Dean Heller. Two years ago, the GOP chances of winning a

seat vanished when tea party-packed challenger Sharron Angle emerged

from a primary.

This year, Indiana appears the state likeliest to test the Democratic

claim that tea party candidates hurt the Republicans – as happened in

Delaware, Colorado and Nevada in 2010.

State Treasurer Richard Mourdock defeated six-term Sen. Lugar in the

GOP primary and will face Rep. Joe Donnelly in the fall. Democrats say

the race is winnable, and Republicans concede that, as elsewhere, they

are likely to have to spend campaign funds to make sure the seat stays

in their column.

<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/16/elections-2012_n_1522797.html">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/16/elections-2012_n_1522797.html</a>

<h1><a href="http://thinkprogress.org/green/2012/03/29/454853/senators-who-voted-to-protect-oil-tax-breaks-received-23582500-from-big-oil/">Senators Who Voted To Protect Oil Tax Breaks Received $23,582,500 From Big Oil</a></h1>

By <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/author/rleber/">Rebecca Leber</a> on Mar 29, 2012 at 1:59 pm

In a <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/green/2012/03/29/454789/senate-republicans-protect-big-oil-subsidies-as-their-gasoline-profits-soar/">51-47 vote</a>,

43 Senate Republicans and four Democrats filibustered to protect $24

billion in tax breaks for Big Oil. Although a majority voted for Sen.

Robert Menendez’s (D-NJ) bill, it <a href="http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=2&vote=00063">fell short</a> of the 60 needed. The only two Republicans to break rank were Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and retiring Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME).

A Think Progress Green analysis shows how oil and gas companies have

funneled cash to the same senators who protected its handouts:

– The 47 senators voting against the bill have received $23,582,500 in career contributions from oil and gas. The 51 senators voting to repeal oil tax breaks have received $5,873,600.

– The senators who voted for Big Oil’s handouts received on average over four times as much career oil cash as those who voted to end them.

– Overall, Senate Republicans have taken <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/green/2012/03/23/450941/will-senators-stand-up-for-american-consumers-or-big-oil/">$23.2 million</a> in oil and gas contributions. Democrats received $6.66 million.

– Since 2011, Senate Republicans have voted seven times for pro-Big Oil interests and against clean energy three times.

</blockquote>

</div>

---

<a href="http://thinkprogress.org/green/2012/03/29/454789/senate-republicans-protect-big-oil-subsidies-as-their-gasoline-profits-soar/">In 51-47 Vote, Senate Republicans Protect Big Oil Subsidies As Gasoline Profits Soar</a> | By a nearly party-line vote of 51-47, the U.S. Senate failed to get the 60 votes needed to eliminate <a href="http://thinkprogress.org/green/2012/03/29/454635/lautenberg-kick-big-oil-off-the-welfare-rolls/">$24 billion in taxpayer subsidies</a>

for the five richest oil companies. The Republicans filibustered

legislation by Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) which would have cut the

subsidies to pay for investment in wind power and energy efficiency.

Democrats who joined the Republicans included Sens. Mary Landrieu

(D-LA), Ben Nelson (D-NE), Mark Begich (D-AK), and Jim Webb (D-VA). Sen.

Susan Collins (R-ME) and retiring Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) broke ranks

and voted to cut the tax breaks.

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/gop-senate-deniers/">http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/gop-senate-deniers/</a>

AFP/koch no climate tax pledge<a href="http://www.noclimatetax.com/"> http://www.noclimatetax.com/</a>  CEI, NTU, hot air tour

What committess have oversight of global warming?

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the incoming head of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, has <a href="http://motherjones.com/blue-marble/2010/09/issa-oversight-climate-GOP">pledged to hold hearings</a>

on the "Politicization of Science," which will consist of a rehashing

of the so-called ClimateGate "scandal." He's also called for greater

oversight of the Environmental Protection Agency's coming regulations of

greenhouse gases. With Issa in charge, the oversight committee will

devote a good deal of time to hauling government and university climate

scientists before Congress.

Deniers:

<a href="http://thinkprogress.org/author/brad/">d Johnson</a> on Nov 19, 2010 at 3:42 pm

by Brad Johnson, ThinkProgress Wonk Room Climate Editor

Updated 11/23 with elections of Ann Buerkle and Blake Fahrenthold.

One year ago, the right-wing media machine smeared climate scientists with the “<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/2009/11/20/climategate/">Climategate</a>”

conspiracy theory, even as the climate itself continued to get hotter

and more destructive. Although the National Academies of Science says

“the U.S. should <a href="http://www8.nationalacademies.org/onpinews/newsitem.aspx?RecordID=05192010">act now</a>

to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop a national strategy to

adapt to the inevitable impacts of climate change,” the Republican Party

is now dominated by fossil-funded ideologues who repeat zombie myths

about global warming. An exclusive survey by the Wonk Room, with <a href="http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/9/5/899029/-Stupid-Goes-Viral:-The-Climate-Zombies-of-the-New-GOP">research support</a> by Daily Kos blogger <a href="http://twitter.com/rlmiller">RL Miller</a>,

has identified the members of Congress from nearly every state in the

union that are on record challenging the scientific consensus:

</map>

Click the map to see the 112th Congress climate deniers in each state.

</div>

In January, 2011, the 112th Congress will open session, with a huge

contingent of Republicans who have explicitly rejected the threat of

manmade global warming pollution. These climate zombies express the

classic variants of global warming denial: that it is <a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#mo09luetkemeyer">not warming</a>, that <a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#scsendemint">cold weather</a> refutes concerns about global warming, that <a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#in04rokita">man’s influence is unclear</a>, that climate scientists are engaged in a <a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#mo04hartzler">hoax</a>, <a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#akalyoung">scam</a>, or <a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#mn08cravaack">corrupt conspiracy</a>, and that limiting greenhouse pollution would have <a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#mi06upton">no impact</a>

on global temperatures. Of special note are the conspiracy theorists

who argue that hacked emails from climate scientists prove corruption,

calling for kangaroo trials against practicing researchers.

Well over half (56 percent) of the incoming Republican caucus are

climate zombies. Thirty-five of the 47 (74 percent) Republicans in the

U.S. Senate next year publicly question the science of global warming.

Of the 242 Republicans elected to the House of Representatives, 128 (53

percent) publicly question the science.

Of the freshmen Republicans — marked in boldface below — 38 of 87 in

the House and 11 of 13 in the Senate have publicly questioned the

science. Eighty of the freshmen signed the Koch Industries/Americans For

Prosperity “No Climate Tax” pledge, and 46 freshmen signed the

FreedomWorks-Tea Party Contract From America, which rejects cap and

trade. Of the 100 freshmen, 94 have either explicitly denied global

warming, signed the Koch pledge, or signed the FreedomWorks pledge.

There are no freshmen Republicans, in the House or Senate, who publicly

accept the scientific consensus that greenhouse pollution is an

immediate threat.

<h2>SENATE deniers</h2>

<table style=" font-size: small;" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td><a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#nhsenayotte">Kelly Ayotte (R-NH)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#wysenbarrasso">John Barrasso (R-WY)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#mosenblunt">Roy Blunt (R-MO)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#arsenboozman">John Boozman (R-AR)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#masenbrown">Scott Brown (R-MA)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#insencoats">Dan Coats (R-IN)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#oksencoburn">Tom Coburn (R-OK)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#tnsencorker">Bob Corker (R-TN)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#txsencornyn">John Cornyn (R-TX)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#idsencrapo">Mike Crapo (R-ID)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#scsendemint">Jim DeMint (R-SC)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#nvsenensign">John Ensign (R-NV)</a></td><td><a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#wysenenzi">Mike Enzi (R-WY)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#iasengrassley">Chuck Grassley (R-IA)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#utsenhatch">Orrin Hatch (R-UT)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#ndsenhoeven">John Hoeven (R-ND)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#txsenhutchison">Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#okseninhofe">Jim Inhofe (R-OK)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#gasenisakson">Johnny Isakson (R-GA)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#nesenjohanns">Mike Johanns (R-NE)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#wisenjohnson">Ron Johnson (R-WI)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#azsenmccain">John McCain (R-AZ)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#kysenmcconnell">Mitch McConnell (R-KY)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#kssenmoran">Jerry Moran (R-KS)</a></td><td valign="top"><a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#kysenpaul">Rand Paul (R-KY)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#ohsenportman">Rob Portman (R-OH)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#idsenrisch">Jim Risch (R-ID)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#kssenroberts">Pat Roberts (R-KS)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#flsenrubio">Marco Rubio (R-FL)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#alsensessions">Jeff Sessions (R-AL)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#alsenshelby">Richard Shelby (R-AL)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#sdsenthune">John Thune (R-SD)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#pasentoomey">Pat Toomey (R-PA)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#lasenvitter">David Vitter (R-LA)</a>

<a href="http://wonkroom.thinkprogress.org/climate-zombie-caucus/#mssenwicker">Roger Wicker (R-MS)</a></td></tr></tbody></table>

</center>

</div>