Eight Republicans (+2) to Keep a Close Eye On

Today, led by the Democratic majority, the United States Senate refused to ban earmarks.

Thirty-nine politicians voted "nay"... (a vote to ban earmarks) while fifty-six followed Harry Reid's lead - voting "yea"... (a vote to continue "business as usual").

For whatever reason (out of town...??? ill...???) five Senators failed to vote. These "MIA" Senators were:

Bond (R-MO); Brownback (R-KS); Boxer (D-CA); Mikulski (D-MD); and Shaheen (D-NH)

Eight Republicans joined with Harry Reid and the bulk of his Democratic Caucus in turning back the anti-earmark measure:

Bennett (R-UT); Cochran (R-MS); Collins (R-ME); Inhofe (R-OK); Lugar (R-IN); Murkowski (R-AK); Shelby (R-AL); and Voinovich (R-OH)

Voinovich is retiring and Bennett is also gone come January, but Cochran, Collins, Lugar, and Murkowski aren't to be trusted. As to Inhofe... his was apparently a principled position. Still...

(*SIGH*)

As for the "good Dems"...

Bayh (D-IN); Bennet (D-CO); Feingold (D-WI); McCaskill (D-MO); Nelson (D-FL); Udall (D-CO); and Warner (D-VA) voted with the anti-earmark Republican Caucus majority.

(Note: Bayh is retiring... Feingold was defeated in November... McCaskill and Nelson are up for re-election in 2012... only Udall and Warner really bucked their party in a way that could potentially bite them in the ass.)

Folks... pay attention to how they vote... not just what they "say."