This is probably old news by now, but I find it interesting that although there has been widespread criticism of the House Republicans, it seems that vulnerable members of both parties in the House voted against the “bailout bill” earlier this week. Josh Kraushaar of Politico reports:
The vast majority of politically vulnerable members from both parties voted against the $700 billion package, fearing serious flak from their constituents back home. Of the 205 members who supported the bill, only seven — four Democrats and three Republicans — are facing highly competitive races.
The vote breakdown is in sync with skeptical public sentiment toward the plan. A recent USA Today/Gallup poll, for instance, showed 56 percent of those surveyed favoring something different than the proposed bailout package. Only 22 percent supported it.
Indeed, it was almost impossible to find a politically vulnerable Republican who supported the deal. The only three Republicans in tough races who supported it were Reps. Christopher Shays of Connecticut, Mark Kirk of Illinois and Jon C. Porter of Nevada.
Most of the politically vulnerable Democrats bucked their party’s leaders and voted against the package as well. While 15 of the 33 Democrats on the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s incumbent-retention Frontline program supported the bailout, the majority aren’t at serious risk of losing their seats.
Indeed, only four Democrats facing highly competitive reelection bids — Reps. Jerry McNerney of California, Tim Mahoney of Florida, Paul E. Kanjorski of Pennsylvania and Jim Marshall of Georgia — voted for the bailout
Read the whole thing.