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By SEAN MUSSENDEN and NEIL H. SIMON
WASHINGTON—Many Democrats are pushing party leaders to advance an ambitious agenda when they take total control of Washington next year.
But a growing block of conservative Democrats could make it harder for President-elect Barack Obama and Congressional leaders to do that.
In the House, Democrats expanded their margin for the second election cycle in a row in part by picking off Republican seats in conservative-leaning Southern districts in Virginia, North Carolina and Alabama.
Many new Democrats are social and fiscal conservatives who plan to push back against a major expansion of spending and will bristle at a Democratic agenda that tilts too far left.
"Virginia Democrats are a particular brand," said Glenn Nye, a Democrat from Virginia who knocked off Republican incumbent Rep. Thelma Drake this year. "We're more conservative, especially on fiscal issues."
Fiscally conservative Democrats – so-called “Blue Dogs” – say they want to avoid a repeat of the last time their party controlled the White House and Congress.
During his first two years in office, President Bill Clinton and congressional leaders were blamed for pushing a left-of-center agenda and internal conflict that sparked the GOP takeover of Congress in 1994.
Democrats took back Congress in 2006 – and expanded their majority this year – in part by recapturing conservative-leaning seats held by Republicans for the last decade.
Rep. Mike McIntyre, D-N.C., joined the Blue Dog Coalition when he was elected to Congress in 1996 and has seen its ranks more than double in the 12 years since.
Blue Dogs now account for about one out of every five Democrats in the House, and their numbers are expected to grow in 2009.
“We have a stronger voice now, a voice that sends a message to leadership that we need to do things in a way that folks in conservative to moderate districts we represent will be supportive of,” McIntyre said. “They have to respect that, or the Democratic Party won’t be the majority party.”
In particular, McIntyre and other Blue Dogs said it will be important to guard against a major expansion of spending and avoid the large deficits that occurred under President George W. Bush.
“We have a very important role to play. We need to make sure that when we spend taxpayer money, we do it in a way that is responsible and has a positive impact,” said Rep. Heath Shuler, a conservative Democrat in western North Carolina who unseated a long-serving Republican in 2006 and is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition.
On the campaign trail, Obama promised that he would increase access to health care, cut taxes for the middle class and enact other ambitious agenda items without a major expansion of spending.
But government budget watchdogs say the souring economy will make it tough for Obama to both keep those promises and keep spending in check, potentially setting up a conflict with fiscally-conservative Democrats.
Even with the expanded Democratic majority – expected to be about an 80-seat margin once remaining undecided races are settled – the 49-member Blue Dog Coalition has the numbers to block legislation if they vote en masse with Republicans.
Blue Dogs say Obama is cognizant of the need to appease fiscally-conservative Democrats. In a meeting with the group earlier this year, “He indicated – and you could see he meant it sincerely – that he wanted to reach out to us,” McIntyre said.
Ferrel Guillory, a political scientist at UNC-Chapel Hill, said he doubted conservative Democrats would buck Obama in the first few months, especially as he pushes for legislation to shore up the economy. But that could change as time goes on, he said.
“Large majorities can be unwieldy coalitions. That’s the challenge the Democrats face now,” he said.
Sean Mussenden can be reached at smussenden@mediageneral.com or 202-662-7668.
WASHINGTON—Many Democrats are pushing party leaders to advance an ambitious agenda when they take total control of Washington next year.
But a growing block of conservative Democrats could make it harder for President-elect Barack Obama and Congressional leaders to do that.
In the House, Democrats expanded their margin for the second election cycle in a row in part by picking off Republican seats in conservative-leaning Southern districts in Virginia, North Carolina and Alabama.
Many new Democrats are social and fiscal conservatives who plan to push back against a major expansion of spending and will bristle at a Democratic agenda that tilts too far left.
"Virginia Democrats are a particular brand," said Glenn Nye, a Democrat from Virginia who knocked off Republican incumbent Rep. Thelma Drake this year. "We're more conservative, especially on fiscal issues."
Fiscally conservative Democrats – so-called “Blue Dogs” – say they want to avoid a repeat of the last time their party controlled the White House and Congress.
During his first two years in office, President Bill Clinton and congressional leaders were blamed for pushing a left-of-center agenda and internal conflict that sparked the GOP takeover of Congress in 1994.
Democrats took back Congress in 2006 – and expanded their majority this year – in part by recapturing conservative-leaning seats held by Republicans for the last decade.
Rep. Mike McIntyre, D-N.C., joined the Blue Dog Coalition when he was elected to Congress in 1996 and has seen its ranks more than double in the 12 years since.
Blue Dogs now account for about one out of every five Democrats in the House, and their numbers are expected to grow in 2009.
“We have a stronger voice now, a voice that sends a message to leadership that we need to do things in a way that folks in conservative to moderate districts we represent will be supportive of,” McIntyre said. “They have to respect that, or the Democratic Party won’t be the majority party.”
In particular, McIntyre and other Blue Dogs said it will be important to guard against a major expansion of spending and avoid the large deficits that occurred under President George W. Bush.
“We have a very important role to play. We need to make sure that when we spend taxpayer money, we do it in a way that is responsible and has a positive impact,” said Rep. Heath Shuler, a conservative Democrat in western North Carolina who unseated a long-serving Republican in 2006 and is a member of the Blue Dog Coalition.
On the campaign trail, Obama promised that he would increase access to health care, cut taxes for the middle class and enact other ambitious agenda items without a major expansion of spending.
But government budget watchdogs say the souring economy will make it tough for Obama to both keep those promises and keep spending in check, potentially setting up a conflict with fiscally-conservative Democrats.
Even with the expanded Democratic majority – expected to be about an 80-seat margin once remaining undecided races are settled – the 49-member Blue Dog Coalition has the numbers to block legislation if they vote en masse with Republicans.
Blue Dogs say Obama is cognizant of the need to appease fiscally-conservative Democrats. In a meeting with the group earlier this year, “He indicated – and you could see he meant it sincerely – that he wanted to reach out to us,” McIntyre said.
Ferrel Guillory, a political scientist at UNC-Chapel Hill, said he doubted conservative Democrats would buck Obama in the first few months, especially as he pushes for legislation to shore up the economy. But that could change as time goes on, he said.
“Large majorities can be unwieldy coalitions. That’s the challenge the Democrats face now,” he said.
Sean Mussenden can be reached at smussenden@mediageneral.com or 202-662-7668.