Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Susan Collins
Susan Margaret CollinsThe Memo: Democrats hope GOP overplayed hand in Jackson hearings Jackson faces growing GOP opposition on Supreme Court Dems plow toward Supreme Court vote after testy hearing MORE (R-Maine) are the easiest senators to work with, while Patrick Leahy
Patrick Joseph LeahyDurbin cuts off Cruz as tempers flare: 'You have to follow the rules' Graham ramps up tension with Jackson: 'I think you're doing it wrong' LIVE COVERAGE: Emotions, tempers run high on day three of Jackson hearings MORE (D-Vt.) and Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) are the most partisan members of the upper chamber, according to a survey conducted by The Hill.
The Hill asked all 99 seated senators which member of the opposing party they most enjoyed partnering with on legislation. The senators were also quizzed (on a not-for-attribution basis) about their least favorite.
The answers reveal a Senate with surprising alliances, close friendships and some personal resentments.
After Kennedy, the most bipartisan Democrats are Sens. Tom Carper
Thomas (Tom) Richard CarperOn The Money — Democrats search for plan on inflation Democrats divided over how to deal with rising inflation Lobbying world MORE (Del.), Chris Dodd (Conn.), Evan Bayh (Ind.) and Tom Harkin
Thomas (Tom) Richard HarkinFCC needs to help services for the deaf catch up to videoconferencing tech Biden celebrates anniversary of Americans with Disabilities Act Ex-Rep. Abby Finkenauer running for Senate in Iowa MORE (Iowa).
Following Collins on the GOP side are Sens. Olympia Snowe (Maine), Orrin Hatch
Orrin Grant HatchLobbying world McConnell's unconstitutional blockade of Garland poisoned subsequent proceedings Meet Washington's most ineffective senator: Joe Manchin MORE (Utah), Richard Lugar (Ind.) and John McCain
John Sidney McCainRussian ambassador files lawsuit against Italian newspaper over article suggesting Putin's death Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson: Without fear or favor Bill Barr: Déjà vu all over again MORE (Ariz.).
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) did not make the top five despite voting for President Obama’s economic stimulus package. Collins and Snowe were the only other Republicans in Congress to back that bill.
Sens. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and Mary Landrieu
Mary Loretta LandrieuDemocratic ex-senators join pro-gas organization 11 former Democratic senators call for 'meaningful reform to Senate rules' 10 Democrats who could run in 2024 if Biden doesn't MORE (D-La.) regularly buck their party, but neither cracked the top five.
Obama has vowed to change the tone of Congress, urging members of both parties to put “childish” politics aside. The president’s call for bipartisanship has generated mixed results, with partisanship flaring during the recent budget debates in the House and Senate.
Working across the aisle sometimes depends on ideology, but not in every case. For example, New York Democrat Charles Schumer
Chuck SchumerWhy does Congress want China to win? Romney working on GOP counteroffer to new Dem COVID-19 funding plan Advocacy groups: Title 42 'undermines our trust in the administration' MORE will, at times, join forces with South Carolina Republican Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin GrahamThe Memo: Democrats hope GOP overplayed hand in Jackson hearings Russian ambassador files lawsuit against Italian newspaper over article suggesting Putin's death Four GOP senators who should go back to law school MORE. And staunch conservative Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) said he misses working with Obama in the Senate.
Kennedy’s affability was cited by some of the Senate’s most conservative Republicans, including Hatch, Jeff Sessions
Jefferson (Jeff) Beauregard SessionsJuan Williams: GOP plays the race card on Ketanji Brown Jackson DOJ scraps Trump-era China Initiative for broader national security program Trump meets with Alabama GOP Senate candidate Katie Boyd Britt MORE (Ala.) and Minority Whip Jon Kyl (Ariz.).
“I’d love to co-sponsor every piece of legislation with Ted Kennedy,” said Sen. Richard Burr
Richard Mauze BurrThe Memo: Democrats hope GOP overplayed hand in Jackson hearings Trump looks to bolster Ted Budd with North Carolina rally Senate GOP eyes Hunter Biden, Fauci probes after midterms MORE (R-N.C.). “When Ted says he’s going to do something, he’s committed to it.”
Democrats hailed the two centrist senators from Maine.
“They are Republicans who want to get something done,” said Jay Rockefeller
John (Jay) Davison RockefellerCapito to make Senate GOP leadership bid Democrats look to scale back Biden bill to get it passed Humorless politics a sad sign of our times MORE (D-W.Va.).
“She’s reasonable, principled and doesn’t get scared off by peer pressure,” Claire McCaskill
Claire Conner McCaskillGOP sounds alarm bells over Greitens allegations Free flow of information crucial in troubled world Lobbying world MORE (D-Mo.) said of Collins.
Discussing Snowe, Landrieu said, “She’s strong in her opinions and she’s not easily swayed, but she is sway-able, which makes her open-minded.” Landrieu and Snowe are the top members of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee.
Leahy attracted widespread criticism from GOP senators. Vice President Cheney famously told Leahy “to go f—- yourself” in 2004.
Aside from Leahy, the other Democratic senators deemed the hardest to work with are Schumer, Majority Whip Dick Durbin
Dick DurbinThe Memo: Democrats hope GOP overplayed hand in Jackson hearings Manchin will back Jackson for Supreme Court This week's must-watch moments on Capitol Hill MORE (Ill.) and Dodd (Conn.).
“They’re guys that like to wield their positions,” said one GOP senator.
Dodd was the only senator who made both the bipartisan and partisan lists. Sen. John Kerry
John KerryThe Hill's Morning Report - Biden turns up heat on Russia Could Russia's moves help to repair US-China relations? Ukraine crisis impacting American domestic politics MORE (D-Mass.) is the fifth most partisan Democrat, according to the survey.
Democrats singled out Bunning, David Vitter
David Bruce VitterBiden inaugural committee to refund former senator's donation due to foreign agent status Bottom line Lysol, Charmin keep new consumer brand group lobbyist busy during pandemic MORE (La.), Tom Coburn
Thomas (Tom) Allen CoburnBiden and AOC's reckless spending plans are a threat to the planet NSF funding choice: Move forward or fall behind DHS establishes domestic terror unit within its intelligence office MORE (Okla.) and DeMint as the most difficult. One Democratic senator called them “a bunch of 4-year-olds.”
Several Democrats said Bunning in particular is so irascible that they don’t even try to speak to the Hall of Fame pitcher unless it’s about baseball.
“Jim just makes it difficult,” said one Democrat. “Sometimes you have a sense of where your bipartisan outreach maybe won’t be successful, so you tend to not even engage.”
Senate Republican Conference Chairman Lamar Alexander
Lamar AlexanderSenate GOP eyes Hunter Biden, Fauci probes after midterms McConnell gets GOP wake-up call The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Alibaba - Democrats return to disappointment on immigration MORE is the fifth most partisan GOP member, according to The Hill’s survey. However, several Democrats praised the Tennessee lawmaker as a cooperative legislative partner.
Many senators said working well with a member of the opposing party often depends on reasons outside their control — committee assignments that pair a chairman with a ranking member, for example, or the fact that a home-state colleague may be from the other side of the aisle.
But many also pointed to personality.
“There are some members of the Senate that you may disagree with 90 percent of the time, but they’re looking for that 10 percent and so are you,” said Graham. “Part of it is attitude. Some senators have a better attitude about finding that 10 or 20 percent than others.”
Sen. Sherrod Brown
Sherrod Campbell BrownHow Fetterman is pulling away in Pennsylvania Business groups battle anti-dumping measure in China competitiveness bill It's time for America's trade umpire to cry foul against Russia's aggression MORE (D-Ohio), who was elected in 2006, said, “It’s partly about, ‘Who wants to work together?’ instead of ‘Who’s likely to agree with you on issues?’ That’s why some are easier than others.”
Brown revealed he keeps track of all the Republicans with whom he works: “I keep a notebook that I don’t share with anybody, and I mark in there who I’ve worked with. I have a goal of working with almost every Republican on a major issue.”
The chamber’s two leaders named each other as their across-the-aisle favorite. Majority Leader Harry Reid
Harry Mason ReidHow Fetterman is pulling away in Pennsylvania White House avoids Trump attacks on Russia-Ukraine Democrats hunt for the right campaign stars MORE (D-Nev.) said he works best with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellCan Rick Scott trump Ron DeSantis to win the GOP base? Sasse to vote no on Jackson's Supreme Court nomination McConnell, McCarthy defend Justice Thomas amid ethics scrutiny MORE (R-Ky.) — “because I have to” — and McConnell said much the same of Reid. Kansas Republican Pat Roberts
Charles (Pat) Patrick RobertsBiden remembers Dole as 'master of the Senate' at National Cathedral Bob Dole: heroic, prickly and effective McConnell gets GOP wake-up call MORE said Reid was a favorite of his when both men led the Ethics Committee. Durbin named several centrist Republicans but said he is trying to work with more members of the GOP.
“At the end of the day, if I give a great Democratic speech and end up with 58 votes, I don’t win,” Durbin said. “So I try to find some way to leave the door open for Republicans to join me.”
Even staunch opponents say they can work together. National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn
John CornynThe Memo: Democrats hope GOP overplayed hand in Jackson hearings Jackson faces growing GOP opposition on Supreme Court GOP shoots down Supreme Court boycott MORE (Texas) has struck up a relationship with Leahy, for example, and Cornyn’s predecessor, John Ensign (Nev.), named Schumer as one of his favorites last year — despite the fact that both men led their parties’ respective senatorial campaign committees.
“There’s an old saying about the Senate: ‘There’s no permanent friends, just permanent issues,’ ” Ensign said. “You have to work across the aisle if you’re ever going to get anything done.”
Among the surprise findings from the poll: Sen. James Inhofe
James (Jim) Mountain InhofeFormer Democratic Rep. Kendra Horn running for Inhofe Oklahoma Senate seat Attorney asks Oklahoma court to stop special election for open US Senate seat Former Trump national security official jumps into Senate race in Oklahoma MORE (R-Okla.) has struck up a friendship with Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.). Burris, meanwhile, is a fan of Hatch’s wardrobe.
Conservative Sen. Sam Brownback (Kan.) misses the late liberal Sen. Paul Wellstone (Minn.) — “one of the funniest guys I’ve worked with.”
He added, “He was just passionate. We’d call each other names for a little while and then we’d go work with each other … He was once upset at some ranking that had just come out that said he was the second most liberal senator here. He said, ‘You did this to me! I was the most liberal one here, and because I’ve been working with you I’m now in second place.’ ”
Click here to read the Republicans' responses and here for Democrats' responses.
THE MOST, AND LEAST BIPARTISAN MEMBERS OF THE SENATE
Who’s the easiest senator to work with across the aisle? Who’s the toughest? The Hill asked all 99 seated senators about their colleagues’ bipartisanship, and the following names — arranged by frequency, from top to bottom — were cited the most.
MOST BIPARTISAN
DEMOCRATS
1. Edward Kennedy (Mass.)
2. Tom Carper (Del.)
3. Chris Dodd (Conn.)
4. (tied) Evan Bayh (Ind.)
4. (tied) Tom Harkin (Iowa)
REPUBLICANS
1. Susan Collins (Maine)
2. Olympia Snowe (Maine)
3. Orrin Hatch (Utah)
4. (tied) Richard Lugar (Ind.)
4. (tied) John McCain (Ariz.)
LEAST BIPARTISAN
DEMOCRATS
1. Patrick Leahy (Vt.)
2. Charles Schumer (N.Y.)
3. Chris Dodd (Conn.)
4. Dick Durbin (Ill.)
5. John Kerry (Mass.)
REPUBLICANS
1. Jim Bunning (Ky.)
2. David Vitter (La.)
3. Tom Coburn (Okla.)
4. Jim DeMint (S.C.)
5. Lamar Alexander (Tenn.)
