West Virginia has the second-most potent congressional delegation among the states, behind only North Dakota, according to the latest "power rankings" from Congress.org.
The nonpartisan group scores U.S. Sen. Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., as the third most powerful member of his chamber, a big boost to the Mountain State's average power ranking.
Rep. Shelley Moore Capito, R-2nd, bottoms out the state's delegation in the rankings, at 421st among 439 members of the U.S. House.
Rep. Nick Rahall, D-3rd, ranked 22nd, the state's best showing among House members. Rep. Alan Mollohan, D-1st, ranked 64th.
Sen. Rockefeller, D-W.Va., ranked 13th in the 100-seat Senate. He moved up 59 places since last year's rankings, for one of the biggest gains among senators.
Capito's poor showing is at least partly due to her party's loss of the majority in the House. But the four-term Republican also ranks 185th among 202 GOP members.
Capito is also last among the 38 House members first elected in 2000, a group that includes 24 other Republicans. She lagged behind most of the Class of 2000 in last year's rankings.
Congress.org found that Capito has "weak committee assignments."
But Mollohan also dropped in the rankings, despite his party's ascendancy in the House. Congress.org said that while he has "good committee assignments that reflect greater influence or longer tenure" _ he is on Appropriations and chairs a subcommittee _ he earned "negative 'fizzle' points due to controversy/scandal."
Recent news reports suggest a federal grand jury may soon hear testimony about said fizzle.
A joint effort of two Beltway firms, Congress.org measured U.S. House and Senate members based on position (tenure, committee assignments and leadership posts), indirect influence (via media, congressional caucus) and legislative activity (getting bills passed or substantially amended).
The project also added a "sizzle factor," after finding that some members "exert or possess power that can't be measured by these standard measures."
"Our researchers reviewed thousands of media articles, hundreds of bills that passed out of committee and through each chamber, as well as the amendments that attempted to shape the outcome of legislation," the group explains in its methodology.
It also limited that research to the 2007 calendar year, through Feb. 16.
1 comment:
I am glad to hear this information.
Now perhaps West Virginia can move from 49th to 47th in good categories and from 2nd to 5th in bad categories.
The delegation may have power, but they have done very little to help the people of West Virginia or move the State in a direction to compete with Virginia, North Carolina, or any other surrounding state.
The Nick J. Rahall Technology Center in Mercer County is great, but there are places in southern West Virginia that don't even have water.
Of course, why would they want the people of West Virginia to get ahead, if they got successful they might vote for a Republican. SHHHH! No Way!
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