’)
By backing Democratic heath care reform, Maine Senator Olympia Snowe is putting at risk a top spot on the Commerce Committee.
“A vote for healthcare would be something that would weigh on our minds when it came time to vote,” said a Republican on Commerce, who said Snowe would otherwise be assured of the ranking member post if not for the healthcare debate.
Every other GOP member of Finance is expected to vote against the healthcare bill.
[...]
Republicans will already be thinking about how Snowe has voted against her GOP colleagues many times this year. A tally by The Washington Post found that she voted with her party 58.4 percent of the time over the course of 308 votes, including on the $787 billion stimulus bill. Only Maine Sen. Susan Collins (R) posted a lower party unity score (58.1 percent).
Republicans can’t recall when the last time was they voted to upset the seniority system.
