The remaining three pro-amnesty Republicans are lame duck with retiring Mike Castle (DE), defeated in primary Bob Inglis (SC), and retiring Vern Ehlers (MI) (Cao was defeated and Lincoln Diaz Balart is retiring.) So essentially every single white Republican to vote for amnesty is a lame duck.
The one semi-surprising Republican to vote against the DREAM Act is Jeff Flake (AZ) who has been one of the loudest pro-amnesty Congressmen in the past.
Of those who failed to vote, the most notable is Immigration Reform Caucus Brian Bilbray (CA.)
Looking at the Democrats who switched sides, there were a large number of lame duck blue dogs who sided with us including Frank Kratovil (MD), Zach Space (OH), Travis Childers (MS), Bobby Bright (AL), Paul Kanjorski (PA), Bart Stupak (OH), Chris Carney (PA), Rick Boucher (VA.) There are many others.
Whether these men are upset at Obama, Pelosi, and Reid for contributing to their defeats, want to try to get their seats back in 2012, or are genuinely opposed to the DREAM Act, I don’t know.
In the Senate, Harry Reid canceled the cloture vote today because the Republicans are going to stand united against taking on any legislation until they make a deal on taxes.
While Obama made a deal with the GOP leadership earlier in the week, the House Democrats just rejected it, putting off the DREAM Act. According to Roy Beck at Numbers USA, the bill will be dead if they can’t come to a tax deal by the end of next week.
