Jack--point is that Miller, as freshman Senator would not get a committee chairmanship under any circumstances even if the Republicans did take the Senate.    You cannot assume that for Murkowski.   And, believe it or not, not all Republicans are as far out as Miller or as anti-environment as Murkowski.

Art--DeMint as spokesman for Republican orthodoxy?   That's an imaginative idea.   He is mainly annoyed since his tea party man was not accepted by the Republican Establishment, which preferred Murkowski.   And may still want to welcome her--and her vote--back. And even give her the chairmanship in question.


Fortunately the whole point appears moot since it's very unlikely the Republicans will take the Senate.   Which of course also means Obama cannot pull a Truman 1948 in 2012, running against a "do-nothing Congress"--which would be one of the few promising approaches to his re-election.

But after all my question was only directed to Ebbie in the first place.