Top aides on Capitol Hill were bribed to fill out a survey.
Partisanship runs high on Capitol Hill. One party’s hero often is the other’s villain. But not always. In some areas, true bipartisanship prevails. For example, when it comes to who’s hot and who’s not.
There’s lots to learn about members of Congress from those who know them best — top Capitol Hill staffers. For each reply, a buck went to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington or So Others Might Eat.
The list is way too long, even by our standards, so we cut it down for your enjoyment.
Here are the congressional aides’ 2010 picks and pans.
Senate
Workhorse
1. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.)
2. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.)
3. Tie: Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)
Showhorse
1. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.)
2. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.)
3. Scott Brown (R-Mass.)
The vote for the ever camera-ready Schumer was bipartisan.
Rising Star
1. John Thune (R-S.D.)
2. Al Franken (D-Minn.)
3. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.)
In another party-line duel, the South Dakotan (R) edged out the Minnesotan (D).
Least Eloquent
1. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.)
2. David Vitter (R-La.)
3. Tie: Susan Collins (R-Maine), Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.)
Meanest
1. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.)
2. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.)
3. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tx.)
Mikulski and Hutchison are perennials in this category.
Nicest
1. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.)
2. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.)
So many nice senators, so little consensus. Eight tied for third.
Funniest
1. Al Franken (D-Minn.)
2. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.)
3. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.)
Congress has a new comedy king—at least according to Democratic staffers.
Hottie (Male)
1. John Thune (R-S.D.)
2. Scott Brown (R-Mass.)
3. Carte Goodwin (D-W.Va.)
At least there’s bipartisan agreement on the categories that matter.
Hottie (Female)
1. Tie: Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.)
2. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska)
3. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.)
Lobbyists’ Friend
1. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.)
2. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.)
3. John Ensign (R-Nev.), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.)
The GOP leader won the mainly party-line vote hands down.
Lobbyists’ Enemy
1. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.)
2. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.)
3. John McCain (R-Ariz.)
A party-line win for Feingold, still the body’s chief anti-lobbying crusader.
King/Queen of Earmarks
1. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.)
2. Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii)
3. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.)
Biggest Disappointment
1. Scott Brown (R-Mass.)
2. Tie: Al Franken (D-Minn.), John McCain (R-Ariz.)
3. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.)
Party Animal
1. David Vitter (R-La.)
2. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.)
3. John Ensign (R-Nev.)
And we’re not talking elephants and donkeys.
Brainiest
1. Tie: John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.)
2. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.)
3. Tie: Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.)
In party-line votes, the junior Wyoming senator—a Georgetown grad and an orthopedic surgeon—and the Rhode Island Yalie edged out the competition.
Clueless
1. Roland Burris (D-Ill.)
2. Tie: Scott Brown (R-Mass.), Jim Bunning (R-Ky.), Al Franken (D-Minn.)
Half the votes for Rod Blagojevich’s pick to replace Barack Obama came from staffers in his own party.
Most Likely to Star in a Scandal
1. David Vitter (R-La.)
2. John Ensign (R-Nev.)
3. Roland Burris (D-Ill.)
The bipartisan consensus seems to be that lightning strikes twice.
Let’s move on to the House and While House next…
