TPMDC Colin Peterson
Blue Dogs
Senior Blue Dog Says House GOP 'Talked Down' To Them On Budget
Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN)
Any attempt -- real or imagined -- by House Republican leaders to court enough Blue Dog Democrats to their side on the budget talks to avoid a government shutdown, may have backfired.
Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), a founding member of the Blue Dogs, told TPM he didn't think the talks were "all that effective" because House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) had "talked down to them" during a recent meeting.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Abortion, Blue Dogs, Budget, Colin Peterson, Heath Shuler, House Republicans, Kevin McCarthy
Health Care
Against It: A Look At The 34 Dems Who Voted No On Health Care Reform
Clockwise: Rep. Ike Skelton (D-MO), Rep. Collin Peterson (D-MN), Rep. Michael Arcuri (D-NY), Rep. Artur Davis (D-AL), Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) and Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA)
The 34 Democrats who voted against health care reform last night are by and large a familiar set. They overlap significantly--though not entirely--with the 39 Democrats who voted against the House health care bill in November. Just as in November, most hail from contested districts, in the south and the midwest. But just as in November, there are some surprises--members you wouldn't normally expect to see voting against legislation so closely associated with the Democratic party.
Most of the Democratic "no" votes are as you would expect: conservative members from conservative districts, in many cases facing difficult re-election challenges. Blue Dog chair Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (D-SD) is one such member. So is Rep. Rick Boucher (D-VA).
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: AFL-CIO, Artur Davis, Barack Obama, Bart Gordon, Brian Baird, Charlie Melancon, Colin Peterson, David Vitter, Democrats, Health Care, House Democrats, House of Representatives, Ike Skelton, John Tanner, Michael Arcuri, Nancy Pelosi, Richard Trumka, Stephen Lynch
House '10
Two Blue Dogs: We're Not Retiring
Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-TN) and Rep. Colin Peterson (D-MN).
In the midst of speculation about whether various swing-seat Democrats could end up retiring -- which would set back the Dems' chances of maintaining their majority -- two Blue Dogs are going out of their way to make it clear that they're staying.
Rep. Lincoln Davis (D-TN) declared: "Come hell or high water you can count me as a candidate." Davis, age 66, was re-elected with 59% of the vote in 2008, at the time as his district voted 64%-36% for John McCain.
Meanwhile, Rep. Colin Peterson (D-MN) dismissed any talk of him retiring. "I don't know why anyone would give credibility to these Republican rumors," said Peterson, also adding: "As for why they are working so hard to circulate this baloney, I think they're just trying to stir things up because they don't have a candidate to run against me." Peterson, age 65, was easily re-elected with 72% of the vote in 2008, while his district voted 50%-47% for John McCain.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: Blue Dogs, Colin Peterson, House '10, Lincoln Davis
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