Elections have consequences

Democrats Claim Solid Advantage on Senate Committees

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's (D-NV) office released the final breakdown of ratios on committees last night, and what sounds like a dry piece of non-news is actually a serious win for Democrats.

After some questions about whether the undecided Minnesota race would leave committee organizing in limbo, Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) have settled on a three-vote advantage for Democrats on every Senate committee except Appropriations and Armed Services -- on those panels, Democrats will have four more members.

This might be more important than having 59 votes. The Republicans have largely defined legislation even when they didn't have the majority by peeling off enough Blue Dogs to win. That's going to be a lot harder to do when they have to hold their votes and win two Dems to win any committee vote.

The Dem/Rep split on committees is even more pronounced in the House. Democrats hold a 40/26 advantage on the Appropriations Committee, 42/33 on Financial Services, 45/31 on Transportation and Infrastructure, and 27/15 on Ways and Means.

If the Republicans can't win committee votes even with the Blue Dogs, it's going to be a hell of a lot harder for them to control legislation.