The Blue Dog pack was cut by more than half Tuesday night, as at least 28 of the 54 members of the coalition of moderate House Democrats were defeated.Their numbers could be reduced further, as a handful of Blue Dogs are still awaiting the official outcome of their re-election bids.
The 79 member Progressive Caucus in the House lost only 4 races last night while the Blue Dogs lost 23 races. In addition, another 6 Blue Dogs retired and were replaced by Republicans. The Blue Dogs now only make up 13% of the Democratic Caucus, compared to the 21% previously.
Quick reminder: the Blue Dog Democrats were the pack of Democrats with Conservative social values, mostly elected in districts that are very Republican or Conservative. They threw up a fight against abortion and the Public Option in the Health Care bill, and voted with Republicans to allow guns to be carried into National Parks.
In other words, they were vulnerable at the start, and everyone knew it. Progressives didn't like them because they threw up stumbling blocks in front of Progressive measures, and Conservatives didn't like them because, well, they were suspicious of their Conservatism. Obama gave some of them a pass on the Health Care bill, but in the end many of them had to vote with things that screwed them at home.
Unsurprisingly.
