Isakson Amendment Exposes Election Year Politics

Yesterday afternoon Senator Isakson (R-GA) offered his “secure the borders first” amendment to the immigration legislation to prohibit the granting of legal status, or adjustment of current status, to any individual who enters or entered the United States in violation of federal law, unless the border security measures the bill authorizes are fully completed and fully operational.

The amendment failed (40 yeas, 55 nays, five abstentions). Its defeat is being hailed as a victory for the president’s position and foreshadows the margin by which the overall bill will pass in the senate.

On this particular vote, the Democrats carried the day for the president. 37 Dems (including Jeffords) voted against the amendment, seven voted for it, and Senator Rockefeller (D-WV) abstained. By contrast, only 18 Republicans voted against the amendment, and a majority of them (33) voted for it, with four abstaining.

Of the seven Democrats who voted affirmatively, four face re-election in November:

Byrd (D-WV)*
Conrad (D-ND)*
Nelson (D-NE)*
Stabenow (D-MI)*

* indicates re-election in November 2006

(It’s tempting to argue that the three Dems who voted affirmatively but are not up for re-election this year—Dorgan (D-ND), Landrieu (D-LA) and Wyden (D-OR)—reliably vote against anything the president is for.)

Of the five senators who abstained, four were Republicans:

Cochran (R-MS)
Gregg (R-NH)
Lott (R-MS)*
McCain (R-AZ)

Of the 18 Republicans who voted against the amendment, four face re-election in November: Chafee (R-RI); DeWine (R-OH); Lugar (R-IN) and Snowe (R-ME).

The Republicans voting negatively were:

Bennett (R-UT)
Brownback (R-KS)
Chafee (R-RI) *
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Craig (R-ID)
DeWine (R-OH)*
Graham (R-SC)
Hagel (R-NE)
Lugar (R-IN)*
Martinez (R-FL)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Shelby (R-AL)
Snowe (R-ME)*
Specter (R-PA)
Stevens (R-AK)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)

A majority of Republicans voted against the immigration bill as it came out of the Judiciary Committee. It appears that the bill now being debated on the floor may pass with a majority of Republicans again voting against it.

—Bill Lauderback.