Whip Count: Senate and House budgets

Senate Democratic leaders are looking to minimize defections on their budget, put forward by Budget Committee Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-Wash.).

{mosads}In order to pass their first budget resolution in four years, Senate Democrats can only afford five defections — assuming all Republicans vote “no.”

Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) has missed budget amendment votes this week due to illness. If he cannot make the final vote, the number of defections that Democrats could afford would drop to four. His office said Friday he is available to vote on the budget if he is needed.

These lists will be updated as members weigh in. Please email information to bcusack@digital-stage.thehill.com.

Last updated at 6:30 p.m. on March 22

Recent updates: Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.)

SENATE DEMOCRATS

Firm No, Leaning No, Likely No (0)

Undecided, Declined to Answer, No Comment (6)

Max Baucus (Mont.) — On Friday, the Senate Finance panel chairman said his vote on the budget has “yet to be determined.” Baucus is up for reelection in 2014.

Mark Begich (Alaska) — Begich is facing reelection next year.

Joe Donnelly (Ind.) — Freshman member from a red state.

Kay Hagan (N.C.) — Still reviewing as of Friday. Hagan is a GOP target in 2014.

Heidi Heitkamp (N.D.) — As of Friday, Heitkamp was still reviewing the budget. Heitkamp is a freshman senator who stresses her independence.

Mark Pryor (Ark.) — “We’ll see how it looks and how it’s amended,” Pryor told The Hill on Friday, later adding he has “all day to decide.” Skated to reelection in 2008. 2014 may be different.

Yes or leaning yes (8)

Tom Harkin (Iowa) — Retiring liberal senator is leaning “yes.”

Tim Johnson (S.D.) — Johnson, who is up for reelection, is backing the budget.

Angus King (Maine) — This independent who caucus with Democrats will vote “yes.”

Mary Landrieu (La.) — Landrieu will vote “yes.” She praised the Murray budget as a strong rebuttal of the House budget, put forward by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), adding, “the Senate and the House will have a very stark choice between the two.” Republicans are targeting Landrieu in 2014.

Joe Manchin (W.Va.) — Manchin’s vote Thursday night to recommit the budget raised questions about his final vote, but he indicated support on Friday, saying: “We’re very open-minded toward it. We need a vehicle.”

Claire McCaskill (Mo.) — Leaning “yes,” saying, “I think it’s certainly better than hocus pocus, which is kind of what the Ryan budget is.”

Bernie Sanders (Vt.) — An independent who caucuses with Democrats, Sanders said he would support the budget even though he’d prefer higher tax hikes.

Jon Tester (Mont.) — Tester told The Hill on March 21 he would be a “yes“ vote. 

HOUSE REPUBLICANS

The House on March 21 approved Rep. Paul Ryan’s (R-Wis.) budget, with 10 Republicans voting against it.

Here are the 10 no votes:

Justin Amash (Mich.) — On March 19, Amash said, “It basically follows the same structure as the previous budget, which I voted ‘no’ on.”

Rep. Paul Broun (Ga.) — Senate candidate in Georgia. Broun, who has previously backed Ryan budgets, said in a release, “Instead of enacting real spending cuts or taking steps to curb our fiscal irresponsibility, Chairman Ryan’s proposal in fact encourages spending growth … I’m positive that there is indeed a ‘Path to Prosperity,’ but Chairman Ryan’s budget certainly isn’t it.”

Rep. Rick Crawford (R-Ark.) — Cites ObamaCare for his no vote.

Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) — Forbes voted no because he believes “it fails to fund our military at an
adequate level to provide for the common defense of our nation.”

Chris Gibson (N.Y.) — Gibson is considered vulnerable next year. Voted against last year’s budget, saying defense spending must be reduced.

Phil Gingrey (Ga.) — A possible Senate candidate in Georgia, Gingrey had been seen as a possible “yes” vote. Before the vote, he said: “I support conservative principles that spur job growth.”

Joe Heck (Nev.) — Democrats highlighted Heck’s support of the Ryan budget in the 2012 election. In a release, Heck suggested Ryan plan is anti-Nevada: “…when those proposals disproportionately affect our state, my vote indicates my priority and that priority is Nevada.”

Rep. Walter Jones (N.C.) — Citing foreign aid, Jones said he would vote “no.” Jones rejected Ryan’s budgets in the last Congress.

Thomas Massie (Ky.) — In a release, Massie stated, “Paul Ryan’s proposed House budget would increase government spending at nearly twice the rate of inflation. Our country is deep in debt, and it is irresponsible to increase spending at this rate.”

David McKinley (W.Va.) — Cited a variety of reasons why he voted no, including cuts to the budget of the FBI and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which have offices in West Virginia. McKinely rejected Ryan budgets in 2011 and 2012.

— Noura Alfadi-Andreasson, Bernie Becker, Russell Berman, Bob Cusack, Zach DeRitis, Molly K. Hooper, Amrita Khalid, Alex Lazar, Taylor Seale, Mario Trujillo and Erik Wasson contributed.