I don't see how either of them are much to the right of Manchin but I guess it doesn't matter when discussing impossible hypotheticals.

Susan Collins, arguably the most liberal Republican, has a lifetime score of 38

Collins is FAR to the right of Manchin.

Source: http://www.progressivepunch.org/scores.htm?topic=&house=senate&sort=name&order=down&party=%.

But, the Democrats need them now.

And we do that by THREATENING their seat, not by offering to PROTECT it.

Republican Party as moderate conservatives opposing the extremists who've taken control.

And that two extremist conservatives would be replaced with almost literally anything else in the moderate conservative, liberal, to non-extremist "progressive" left range.

Liberals who would be willing to work with non-extremists in both parties to stabilize our nation of 330 million very perishable people by reestablishing a working two-party majority would be ideal.

And it's not like Begich got blown out in 2014. He lost by 2 pts.

As I've emphasized, Alaska is the worst polled state in the country, and by wide margin. The model is simply awful. It always overstates the Democrat. Somehow Anchorage is persistently over weighted.

Lisa Murkowski is an example herself. She trailed in literally every senate poll for an entire year to Tony Knowles before winning fairly handily.

Neither one of these makes sense as a Democrat. At one point I thought Collins might moderate but it never happened. She's merely moderate by current Republican standards. Actually she's a liberal by the standards they'll use now and going forward. Be prepared for more Ted Cruz types, since the wing nuts will dictate the primaries.

On edit: My mistake. I thought the reference was to the earlier race. Begich narrowly prevailed after leading the polling by 9 points.

We've just spent more than a week handwringing over a lousy house seat in blood red GA that hasn't been blue this century.

I'll repeat: the poster above said Dems can't win in Alaska. I pointed out that is demonstrably false, regardless of the factors at play that got Begich elected. The end.

And it would be nice if they would be allowed to at least make suggestions and contribute to bills the Republicans propose. It seems unlikely however that they will ever be taken seriously or have an influence in what was once their party. I suppose they could just declare to be independent like Bernie and Angus King. If so, they would end up caucusing with the Republicans, so it would not really change the balance.

I think they are too far to the right to be Democrats. The party already went too far right IMO. But if they can moderate the Republicans, that would be great. Collins has not lived up to that enough, so the health bill is a big test.

It may be moot anyway because they don't want to change.

Did he grab them by the p*ss*?

yet won the general when she ran as a "write-in" candidate against the teabagger (but still as a R) and won. So she is somewhat "to the left" (in relative terms) of the teabaggers.

I would prefer to see more Democratic senators elected instead.

There is one shadow to the rainbow of defeat of the Republicans' efforts to kill the ACA. Too many Trumpkins will remain stupid even after their rescue and vote GOP.

...it would probably save the Supreme Court.

...but, this is a pathetic sof.

the Medicaid cuts, pre-existing condition limitations, and removal of funding for Planned Parenthood.

Why get two more GOP lights.