The Return Of The Blue Dogs

Captain Ed points out this article in the LA times concerning a coalition of conservative Democrats called the “Blue Dogs”. Co-chairman of this group is Jim Matheson, a Congressman from Utah. Captain Ed points out that nine of 28 seats gained by the Democrats came from “Blue Dogs”. The LA Times reports there are now 44 members.

I remember Jim Matheson campaign commercials saying he always voted for a balanced budget amendment. I took that as pandering to a largely conservative state on an issue that wasn’t going to go anywhere. Turns out the Blue dogs are “barking” as the LA times put it:

They helped propel the Democrats to victory in last week's election, and now the "Blue Dogs" want their reward: a decidedly conservative fiscal policy that begins with a constitutional amendment requiring a balanced budget.

The coalition of moderate and conservative House Democrats on Wednesday introduced nine members who were newly elected to Congress, bringing its numerical strength to 44. That's more than enough, if all 44 join with the
Republican minority in January, to block the initiatives of the more liberal House leadership headed by Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco). ....

I’m glad to see this quote too:

Mike Ross of Arkansas, another Blue Dog leader, said the Democratic Party owed its success in the midterm election to the conservative Democrats who won many
seats formerly held by Republicans. "Republicans did not lose their seats to
liberal Democrats," Ross said. "Republicans lost their seats to Blue Dog Democrats, to conservative Democrats."