Hill Dems eyeing Cabinet posts see their hopes shrink

[Celerity]

Democrats, disappointed by last week’s election results in the House and Senate, now see fewer chances to join a Biden administration.

https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/10/biden-cabinet-house-democrats-435800



Congressional Democrats spent months openly jockeying for a potential Biden Cabinet spot. Then came the Election Day train wreck. Democrats’ disappointing down-ballot finish — failing to take the Senate majority outright and losing critical seats in the House — has put a serious damper on the prospect of their own members being plucked from Congress to join President-elect Joe Biden’s administration.

There are still more than a half-dozen Hill Democrats being floated as Biden appointees or advisers, including Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware and Reps. Karen Bass of California and Cedric Richmond of Louisiana. But plenty more Democrats — many in seats the party can’t afford to lose — are effectively off the short list, with one lawmaker making a play for the Cabinet describing their current Hill tenure as a “disqualifying factor.”

"The Biden administration has to be a lot more sensitive of where you come from if you’re looking at members of Congress,” Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia said in an interview. “We cannot afford to put any seats in jeopardy.” In the Senate, Democrats privately acknowledge that liberals Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) no longer stand a chance of confirmation as long as Mitch McConnell remains majority leader. And even if Democrats flip a pair of Senate seats in Georgia early next year to take a 50-50 majority, opposition from centrist Democrats could stifle liberal appointees anyway.

Not to mention, while much of the Cabinet is typically filled out by December, Biden signaled Tuesday he is moving fast — saying he will name a “couple” of Cabinet nominees before Thanksgiving even as President Donald Trump refuses to concede. And in the House, Democrats say they’re unwilling to risk a competitive special election next year that could further diminish its thin majority, putting an end to speculation around swing-district Democrats such as Rep. Katie Porter in Orange County, who has been revered by the left.

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[NBachers]

1. Yeah, too bad last week's election was such a disheartening and tragic failure for Democrats, right

Politico?

[marybourg]

2. Dems have a very deep bench.

[Spazito]

3. Geez, Politico isn't even putting on a pretense anymore...

They are exposing their rabid right wing bent.