If the Sennate Comes out 50/50... who gets controll?

Jarod

Jarod

Well-known member
Contributor
Usually there will be a shake up when the control issue is close after an election. Some sennators will switch sides to give one party or the other control. If the Sennate comes out 50/50 (a very real possability considering the current polling data) what party do you predict will get control?

Who do you think will likely switch sides? Both independents have said they would vote with the Democrats on control issues, but if its 50/50 after that???
 
Jarod said:
Usually there will be a shake up when the control issue is close after an election. Some sennators will switch sides to give one party or the other control. If the Sennate comes out 50/50 (a very real possability considering the current polling data) what party do you predict will get control?

Who do you think will likely switch sides? Both independents have said they would vote with the Democrats on control issues, but if its 50/50 after that???
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The Vice President has the deciding vote in cases of deadlock.
 
Thats not likely because Bernie Sanders is likely to win in Vermont. Thus if he wins which is fairly certain the closest it can be is 50-49-1. Whoever has the 50 has the majority.

Lieberman is polling higher and may win but I believe he will just declare himself a democrat should he win the election.
 
OrnotBitwise said:
The Vice President has the deciding vote in cases of deadlock.
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I forgot about that, but I dont think that will happen... I belive one party or the other will get someone to switch sides...

If the Democrats get 51 and then the Republicans get 49... there will be a huge lobbying effort to get a convert!
 
IHateGovernment said:
Thats not likely because Bernie Sanders is likely to win in Vermont. Thus if he wins which is fairly certain the closest it can be is 50-49-1. Whoever has the 50 has the majority.

Lieberman is polling higher and may win but I believe he will just declare himself a democrat should he win the election.
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I would count him as a Democrat (for the purpose of this thread) because he will vote with the Democrats on control issues. Same with Lieberman.
 
IHateGovernment said:
Thats not likely because Bernie Sanders is likely to win in Vermont. Thus if he wins which is fairly certain the closest it can be is 50-49-1. Whoever has the 50 has the majority.

Lieberman is polling higher and may win but I believe he will just declare himself a democrat should he win the election.
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Is Sanders running for Senate? I hadn't heard that yet.
 
However he does not count for purposes of determining a majority. He caucuses with them and sits on their side. But lets say Lieberman remains independent and Sanders wins. We have 49-49-2. The Republicans would elect a Senate Majority leader because they have Cheney's vote in a tie. The Democrats would elect a Senate Minority leader.
 
IHateGovernment said:
However he does not count for purposes of determining a majority. He caucuses with them and sits on their side. But lets say Lieberman remains independent and Sanders wins. We have 49-49-2. The Republicans would elect a Senate Majority leader because they have Cheney's vote in a tie. The Democrats would elect a Senate Minority leader.
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Cant the two independents vote for a Democratic MAJORITY leader? I think they can and would, so, if they did, in your senario the Democrats would get the majority, Right?
 
Jarod said:
Cant the two independents vote for a Democratic MAJORITY leader? I think they can and would, so, if they did, in your senario the Democrats would get the majority, Right?
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They have to align with one or the other side so that they can also take leadership positions and be on committees.

If the Senate is 50/50, the majority goes to the VP's party.
 
Jarod said:
Cant the two independents vote for a Democratic MAJORITY leader? I think they can and would, so, if they did, in your senario the Democrats would get the majority, Right?
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If memory serves, that's not the way it works. It's the -- stupid and probably unconstitutional, in my view -- Two Party System that rules.

If the two major parties have the exact same number of seats -- 49 and 49 say -- then the party currently in power as the majority party will stay in power.
 
OrnotBitwise said:
If memory serves, that's not the way it works. It's the -- stupid and probably unconstitutional, in my view -- Two Party System that rules.

If the two major parties have the exact same number of seats -- 49 and 49 say -- then the party currently in power as the majority party will stay in power.
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Maybe I am wrong, and Ill do some research, but I dont think it matters what party the individual members say they belong to, I think all that matters is how they vote on control issues...

So, say a mavrick Republican said he was going to break with the Republicans and vote for a Democrat for Majority leader... and that vote gives the Democrat the majority... I think then the Democrats would have the chairmanships and such... Of corse the Republicans would throw the mavrick out.. but its just a pretned senario!
 
Yup, I am right... check out this example of how it worked in 2002.

Note: From January 3 to January 20, 2001, with the Senate divided evenly between the two parties, the Democrats held the majority due to the deciding vote of outgoing Democratic Vice President Al Gore. Senator Thomas A. Daschle served as majority leader at that time. Beginning on January 20, 2001, Republican Vice President Richard Cheney held the deciding vote, giving the majority to the Republicans. Senator Trent Lott resumed his position as majority leader on that date. On May 24, 2001, Senator James Jeffords of Vermont announced his switch from Republican to Independent status, effective June 6, 2001. Jeffords announced that he would caucus with the Democrats, giving the Democrats a one-seat advantage, changing control of the Senate from the Republicans back to the Democrats. Senator Thomas A. Daschle again became majority leader on June 6, 2001. Senator Paul D. Wellstone (D-MN) died on October 25, 2002, and Independent Dean Barkley was appointed to fill the vacancy. The November 5, 2002 election brought to office elected Senator James Talent (R-MO), replacing appointed Senator Jean Carnahan (D-MO), shifting balance once again to the Republicans -- but no reorganization was completed at that time since the Senate was out of session.

http://tinyurl.com/yqqzw

It depends on who the members "CAUCUS" with. Both Independents have said they will caucus with the Democrats, so if they do... the Democrats only need 49 seats to gain control of the Sennate. The 49 plus the 2 independent votes would give them 51 votes and control!
 
Jarod said:
Yup, I am right... check out this example of how it worked in 2002.

Note: From January 3 to January 20, 2001, with the Senate divided evenly between the two parties, the Democrats held the majority due to the deciding vote of outgoing Democratic Vice President Al Gore. Senator Thomas A. Daschle served as majority leader at that time. Beginning on January 20, 2001, Republican Vice President Richard Cheney held the deciding vote, giving the majority to the Republicans. Senator Trent Lott resumed his position as majority leader on that date. On May 24, 2001, Senator James Jeffords of Vermont announced his switch from Republican to Independent status, effective June 6, 2001. Jeffords announced that he would caucus with the Democrats, giving the Democrats a one-seat advantage, changing control of the Senate from the Republicans back to the Democrats. Senator Thomas A. Daschle again became majority leader on June 6, 2001. Senator Paul D. Wellstone (D-MN) died on October 25, 2002, and Independent Dean Barkley was appointed to fill the vacancy. The November 5, 2002 election brought to office elected Senator James Talent (R-MO), replacing appointed Senator Jean Carnahan (D-MO), shifting balance once again to the Republicans -- but no reorganization was completed at that time since the Senate was out of session.

http://tinyurl.com/yqqzw

It depends on who the members "CAUCUS" with. Both Independents have said they will caucus with the Democrats, so if they do... the Democrats only need 49 seats to gain control of the Sennate. The 49 plus the 2 independent votes would give them 51 votes and control!
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Which is what I stated. They must declare with one or the other, they must "caucus" in order to be assigned committees and leadership roles.
 
Damocles said:
Which is what I stated. They must declare with one or the other, they must "caucus" in order to be assigned committees and leadership roles.
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Okay, we were both correct then, I misunderstood. I thouhgt you were saying they had to join one party or the other.
 
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