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U.S. NEWS Tuesday 24 april 2018

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Senators cling to a fading custom Trump’s Washington

By ANDREW TAYLOR Senate was just too small
Associated Press an institution for us to be
WASHINGTON (AP) — In campaigning against one
Trump’s Washington, tradi- another,” said Susan Col-
tions are frail and civility a lins, R-Maine, of the prac-
novelty. But one custom tice when she first joined
that is hanging on — tat- the Senate two decades
tered and tenuously — is an ago. “Over the years, that
unwritten rule: Don’t work clearly has changed dra-
too hard to inflict political matically.”
harm on your Senate col- Trump undoubtedly has
leagues. played a role, with his un-
This election season is test- sparing attacks on Twitter
ing lawmakers’ commit- and elsewhere on Demo-
ment to the fading cour- crats — and GOP critics
tesy. As many Democrats such as Sens. Jeff Flake of
face tough re-election Arizona and Corker.
races in states won by Presi- But there are other pres-
dent Donald Trump, their sures at play. While work-
Republican colleagues ing aggressively against a
face a choice about how colleague could make it
fervently to try to defeat difficult to achieve gains
their fellow senators. for your state, as races
The question has bubbled get tight — and control of
up recently as GOP sena- the Senate hangs in the
tors have indicated their in- balance — senators are
tention to pull their punch- pushed to do all they can
es against Democratic in- to help.
cumbents from their home Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is
states. In hot Senate races among those likely to feel Sen. Jim Risch, R-Idaho, left, and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker,
in Indiana and Florida, Re- the heat. Rubio has said R-Tenn., listen to comments during maneuvering on the confirmation vote for President Donald
publican senators have he’ll campaign for Repub- Trump’s nominee for secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, who has faced considerable opposition
suggested they might not lican Rick Scott, the Florida before the panel, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Monday, April 23, 2018.
go to the mat for the Re- governor taking on Sen. Bill Associated Press
publican candidates. Sen. Nelson. But he won’t attack anyway. Going on the at- competitive situation you I-Conn., donated $5,000 to
Bob Corker raised eye- Nelson, he says. tack can provoke hard have more incentive to Collins when she faced a
brows Sunday with a twist “I work with him every day. feelings that may linger. get along,” said Professor tough 2008 race — even as
on the rule — issuing a star- Why would I attack him?” “There’s usually kind of an James Thurber of American Democratic colleagues like
tlingly tepid endorsement said Rubio. “I consider him understanding that there’s University. Frank Lautenberg of New
of Republican Rep. Mar- someone I work well with, a limit to what you do be- In the past, some Senate Jersey traveled to Maine to
sha Blackburn, the House but I want Republicans to cause at the end of the pairings even had non-ag- try to defeat her.
lawmaker running against be in the majority.” day you may be back in gression pacts. Former Sen. “It was very difficult for me
Democrat Phil Bredesen for Rubio’s plans trace what business together,” said Harry Reid, D-Nev., nearly to work with them when
Corker’s seat in Tennessee. is viewed as a new rule: Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. “It lost to then-GOP Rep. John I won,” said Collins, who
“I’m not going to cam- Campaign for your party’s was not that long ago that Ensign in 1998. But after added that Lautenberg
paign against him, but I’m nominee, but do not criti- it was just considered un- Ensign came to the Sen- apologized afterward.
supporting our nominee,” cize your colleague in the acceptable to campaign ate two years later, he and Heads swiveled in 2004
Corker said on CNN. other party. against your colleague.” Reid forged a non-aggres- when Majority Leader Bill
There was a time such a “I won’t ever say anything It’s also good politics. Sen- sion pact that worked to Frist, R-Tenn., threw aside
statement might not have negative about Joe, pub- ators often try to appear their mutual political ad- tradition and traveled to
made news. Old-timers licly or for that matter pri- above Washington parti- vantage. South Dakota to campaign
say there used to be a vately,” said Sen. Todd san battles — at least with When Sen. Ted Stevens, against Democratic leader
hard and fast rule not to Young, R-Ind., whose Dem- the voters back home. R-Alaska, was running his Tom Daschle.
meddle in other Senate ocratic colleague, Joe And you also compete to unsuccessful re-election Both Collins and Durbin
races lest you sour relation- Donnelly, is a top GOP tar- win over the same voters, race in 2008, Hawaii Demo- raised the episode as a
ships in the clubby Senate, get. especially independents. crat Daniel Inouye, his best turning point.
then, as now, loaded with One consideration is that Attacking a colleague is a friend, not only endorsed “That to me was the end of
politicians blessed by long there’s usually a pretty proven way to turn them him but appeared at a an era and it’s never been
memories and thin skins. good chance that your off. Stevens’ fundraiser. Simi- the same since,” Durbin
“The feeling was that the colleague is going to win “Where you have a more larly, Sen. Joe Lieberman, said.q