Would Senate Republicans vote to expel Burris?

[Jacobtm]

So Burris stinks.

Initially, the Senate Dems tried (illegally) to deny him his seat, but before any legal action could begin, they fulfilled their legal obligation to let him take his seat.

Now that he has his seat, the Senate Dems are ignoring their legal right to try to have him expelled. Is this because they just don't know how to cut their losses, or because Republicans wouldn't vote to expel him, leaving him in the Senate to cause headaches for the Democrats?

[Lief 🗽]

Then we'd only have effectively 56 Democratic votes...

[Lunar]

They would on the single condition that a special election is held (denying Dems an extra vote for 1-2 months and giving Kirk a chance at the seat).  And if the Dems were to stall on the special election Cornyn would hurl more race baiting bombs with his pal Bobby Rush

[Joe Biden 2020]

They probably will, much to their peril.  As has been mentioned, Burris gives the Republicans the best shot in a blue Illinois due to a bruising primary fight among the Democrats.  If Burris is ousted, then the Lt Governor, who is untainted by "Blago-gate", would appoint a Democrat who would also be untainted, who would subsuquently cruise to election in 2010 all other factors being equal.

I say go for it Republicans, but you'd be doing it at your own risk, and to the benefit of Harry Reid.

If the Republicans expel Burris, they would probably also dramatically help Sen. Reid and let him focus on his job and his constituency rather than worrying about a pain such as Burris, thus turning what should be a lean-Democratic seat into a safe-Democratic seat in Nevada.  So, they'd lose the possibility of taking one, possibly two, seats from the Democrats in 2010.

It would be kind of a two-fer for the Democrats if the Republicans get rid of Burris.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

It's because Harry Reid is a total joke.

[Lunar]

They probably will, much to their peril.  As has been mentioned, Burris gives the Republicans the best shot in a blue Illinois due to a bruising primary fight among the Democrats.  If Burris is ousted, then the Lt Governor, who is untainted by "Blago-gate", would appoint a Democrat who would also be untainted, who would subsuquently cruise to election in 2010 all other factors being equal.

I say go for it Republicans, but you'd be doing it at your own risk, and to the benefit of Harry Reid.

If the Republicans expel Burris, they would probably also dramatically help Sen. Reid and let him focus on his job and his constituency rather than worrying about a pain such as Burris, thus turning what should be a lean-Democratic seat into a safe-Democratic seat in Nevada.  So, they'd lose the possibility of taking one, possibly two, seats from the Democrats in 2010.

It would be kind of a two-fer for the Democrats if the Republicans get rid of Burris.

The GOP is obsessed with getting a special election, why wouldn't they just insist upon that like I said in the post before you?  In fact, I'm 99% convinced that's what they would do.  A special election is far more likely to elect a Republican because Mark Kirk would not have to give up his House seat to run and the recent Democratic fiasco would be more recent memory.

It'd be easy for them to publicly argue that Democratic governors in Illinois shouldn't be allowed to pick yet another Senator.

PLUS, Burris won't firmly come down in support for the Employee Free Choice Act

[Meeker]

There's no way the Senate Republicans would vote against expulsion if Reid actually put it up for a vote. They'd get massacred in the press for playing a partisan, insider game.

[Lunar]

There's no way the Senate Republicans would vote against expulsion if Reid actually put it up for a vote. They'd get massacred in the press for playing a partisan, insider game.

They'd have an easy argument that they want a special election given the way that Illinois has worked lately regarding senate seats

[Meeker]

There's no way the Senate Republicans would vote against expulsion if Reid actually put it up for a vote. They'd get massacred in the press for playing a partisan, insider game.

They'd have an easy argument that they want a special election given the way that Illinois has worked lately regarding senate seats

I don't think anyone would buy that. And even if they did, for a little bit, the TV ads would write themselves. Senator Burr voted in favor of keeping corrupt Roland Burris in the United States Senate. Richard Burr - just another Washington good 'ole boy.

And even that did start to get some play then Quinn could just announce his replacement appointee (a non-crazy and qualified candidate).