# U. S. Congress—how's your Congressperson doing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [January 21, 2001, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-congress-hows-your-congressperson-doing/51150 "2001-01-21T19:45:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chance_the_Gardener)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-congress-hows-your-congressperson-doing/51150/1 "2001-01-21T19:45:12Z")
There will be midterm elections in the United States, as usual, in 2002. 33 senators are up for reëletion—twenty Republicans, thirteen Democrats. They are as follows: Jeff Sessions—R, Alabama Ted Stevens—R, Alaska Tim Hutchinson—R, Arkansas Wayne Allard—R, Colorado Joseph Biden—D, Delaware Max Cleland—D, Georgia Daniel Kahikina Akaka—D, Hawaii Larry Craig—R, Idaho Dick Durbin—D, Illinois Tom Harkin—D, Iowa Pat Roberts—R, Kansas Mitch McConnell—R, Kentucky Mary Landrieu—D, Louisiana Susan Collins—R, Maine John Kerry—D, Massachusetts Carl Levin—D, Michigan Thad Cochran—R, Mississippi Max Baucus—D, Montana Chuck Hagel—R, Nebraska Bob Smith—R, New Hampshire Robert Torricelli—D, New Jersey Pete Domenici—R, New Mexico Jesse Helms—R, North Carolina James Inhofe—R, Oklahoma Gordon Smith—R, Oregon Jack Reed—D, Rhode Island Strom Thurmond—R, South Carolina Tim Johnson—D, South Dakota Fred Thompson—R, Tennessee Bill Gramm—R, Texas John Warner—R, Virginia John D. Rockefeller—D, West Virginia Michael Enzi—R, Wyoming So with thirty-three senatoral races, there’s no doubt that some of the regulars here are going to choose to keep or kick out one of their senators in the upcoming election. Granted, I know it’s two years away, so it’s probably a little early to determine which way you’re going to vote, but if yours is one of the above, what do you feel about him or her? If the election were held tomorrow, would you gladly vote for another term for that person, or definitely take a chance on a new person no matter what? Do you even know anything about your senators? Speak up and praise, or vent! ---
**Author:** ![ScoobyTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@ScoobyTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ScoobyTX)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-congress-hows-your-congressperson-doing/51150/2 "2001-01-21T19:53:11Z")
That’s Phil Gramm (R-TX). Although I cringe when I hear him pontificate on just about any social issue, his grasp of economics is sound. He is a former Econ Professor, even though it was at Texas A&M :). Since I generally vote based on my own economic well-being, he would usually get my vote in a two-way race. However, I usually “throw my vote away” in practice, voting for the Libertarian candidate. He will own that seat until he decides to retire (or gets caught doing something REALLY stupid). ---
**Author:** ![Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chance_the_Gardener)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-congress-hows-your-congressperson-doing/51150/3 "2001-01-21T20:00:27Z")
I like Torricelli. I didn’t vote for him in 1996 because I moved to New Jersey just a month after Election Day, but I think I would have voted for him then. He’s interested in mending the country’s educational infrastructure without abandoning it to so-called “school choice” programs. He focuses on merit pay for teachers instead, as well as maintaining and increasing the quality of existing public schools. Torricelli also favors stricter regulation of firearms (not uncommon here in populated areas) and, finally, believes in an increased minimum wage. A higher minimum wage makes sense for New Jersey, too, what with its higher cost of living. If the election were held tomorrow, I’d probably vote for him, though I don’t usually like to make such a statement without any challengers having been identified. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-congress-hows-your-congressperson-doing/51150/4 "2001-01-21T20:24:19Z")
I don’t have a senator up for reelection (CA), but I assume that Strom Thurmond is not going to run for re-election. Please tell me that’s so. I assume that Jesse Helms will run for re-election purely out of spite. Since more Republicans are running in 2002 than Democrats, they will have their work cut out for them to hold on to their “majority” in the Senate. None of the Democrats stands out as particularly vulnerable except for Mary Landrieu, who barely won her first race. There will be an additional race in 2002 because Missouri will have a special election for the seat presently held by Jean Carnahan. ---
**Author:** ![Flymaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Flymaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flymaster)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-congress-hows-your-congressperson-doing/51150/5 "2001-01-21T20:57:36Z")
Massachusetts here. I’m probably going to vote for Kerry, both because he’s a democrat and I’m very much against the Republican leadership, and the fact that even if I weren’t so strong of Democrat, judging from who the Republicans “ran” against Ted Kennedy this year, it won’t be much of a race anyway. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-congress-hows-your-congressperson-doing/51150/6 "2001-01-21T21:59:20Z")
Dick Durbin - D-IL He’s a great guy - I’ll definitely vote for him again. ---
**Author:** ![David\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/51bf81/32.png) [@David\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/David_B)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-congress-hows-your-congressperson-doing/51150/7 "2001-01-21T22:05:13Z")
Durbin shouldn’t have much to worry about. ---
**Author:** ![Mekhazzio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b38774/32.png) [@Mekhazzio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mekhazzio)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-congress-hows-your-congressperson-doing/51150/8 "2001-01-21T23:16:04Z")
Mitch McConnell…ugh. I hope we boot the schmuck. But it probably won’t happen unless Bush does something big to cause a backlash. ---
**Author:** ![Flymaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c4cdca/32.png) [@Flymaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flymaster)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-congress-hows-your-congressperson-doing/51150/9 "2001-01-21T23:30:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Flymaster \* > \*\*Massachusetts here. > > I’m probably going to vote for Kerry, both because he’s a democrat and I’m very much against the Republican leadership, and the fact that even if I weren’t so strong of Democrat, judging from who the Republicans “ran” against Ted Kennedy this year, it won’t be much of a race anyway. \*\* Ooh…actually, I was just reminded, thanks to **David B** ’s thread, that Kerry might be making a run for Governor. I’d still vote Democrat, though, unless the candidate was REALLY repulsive, and, seeing as how it’s Massachusetts we’re talking about here, I don’t think whoever DOES run will have much trouble winning. ---
**Author:** ![Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@Chance\_the\_Gardener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chance_the_Gardener)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2001, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-congress-hows-your-congressperson-doing/51150/10 "2001-01-21T23:42:38Z")
**Paul Wellstone—D, Minnesota** is also up for reëlection in 2002. For the record. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-congress-hows-your-congressperson-doing/51150/11 "2001-01-22T05:47:55Z")
> [@](#): > > Mitch McConnell—R, Kentucky If the only choices on the ballot are Mitch McConnell and a potted plant, I will get out and actively campaign for the plant. I have no idea why we keep electing the man. Dr. J ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [January 22, 2001, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/u-s-congress-hows-your-congressperson-doing/51150/12 "2001-01-22T23:50:34Z")
Nice guy, quiet for the most part. I predict he’ll be back, if anyone bothers to run against him.