General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: Is the (D) behind the name more important than the voting record? [View all]TygrBright
(20,790 posts)What bills will they sponsor?
What will they co-sponsor?
What committee work will they do? How will they vote on things other than recorded "bill" votes- things like procedural motions, committee agendas, etc.
What will they support behind the scenes to help out a colleague?
What trade-offs will they make between two potentially risky options on a bill, and why?
What amendments will they offer, support, fight for?
How well will they help Party leadership maintain a strategy?
What caucuses will they participate in, and how will they balance potential conflicts between them?
How helpful will they be to colleagues when it's fundraising time?
How hard will they campaign?
Will they work to build the Party in their district? In their State?
Can they be a reliable spokesperson on an issue?
There can be a whole lot of reasons for an elected official to vote against their Party, and some of them are pretty good. Some of them are even sanctioned by the Party, encouraged, appreciated.
Understanding the bigger picture can change how you look at a voting record.
peaceably,
Bright