How Conservative Interest Groups Rate the Senators (2007)
Many interest groups rate senators on how they vote. Well-known groups that issue such ratings include Americans for Democratic Action (a liberal group) and the American Conservative Union (a conservative group). In the table below, we give the ratings of eight conservative groups and the mean value for each senator. If you are a conservative, a senator with a high score is a good senator (supports everything conservative). If you are a liberal, a low score is good (hasn't drunk the conservative Kool-Aid). the differences between the senators stand out clearly. The table below is sorted on mean rating. Additional ratings from other interest groups can be found at www.vote-smart.org.
The eight groups used in this study are:
ACU - American Conservative UnionATR - Americans for Tax Reform
CWA - Concern Women for America
Club4 - Club for Growth
Eagle - Eagle Forum
FRC - Family Research Council
RTL - Right to Life
TVC - Traditional Values Coalition
The data is available for download in .csv format so you can slice and dice the data as you wish. The ratings are for 2007 where available, otherwise for 2006. Actually, only the Eagle Forum had 2007 data, so all the others are 2006. For Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), some of his votes were made as a House member before he was appointed to the Senate.
The ratings by the liberal groups are here .
| Senator | State | ACU | ATR | CWA | Club4 | Eagle | FRC | RTL | TVC | Mean |
| Jim DeMint (R) | South Carolina | 100% | 95% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 97% |
| John Ensign (R) | Nevada | 100% | N/A | 100% | 93% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 96% |
| Tom Coburn (R) | Oklahoma | 100% | 85% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 96% |
| John Barrasso (R) | Wyoming | N/A | N/A | N/A | 90% | N/A | 100% | N/A | N/A | 95% |
| Saxby Chambliss (R) | Georgia | 96% | 90% | 100% | 93% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 95% |
| Jim Bunning (R) | Kentucky | 96% | 90% | 100% | 87% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 94% |
| James Inhofe (R) | Oklahoma | 100% | 90% | 100% | 80% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 94% |
| Jon Kyl (R) | Arizona | 92% | 95% | 100% | 93% | 89% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 94% |
| Johnny Isakson (R) | Georgia | 96% | 90% | 100% | 79% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 93% |
| John Sununu (R) | New Hampshire | 88% | 95% | 100% | 80% | 78% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 93% |
| David Vitter (R) | Louisiana | 92% | 95% | 100% | 73% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 93% |
| John Thune (R) | South Dakota | 100% | 85% | 100% | 73% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 92% |
| Jeff Sessions (R) | Alabama | 92% | N/A | 100% | 73% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 92% |
| John Cornyn (R) | Texas | 96% | 90% | 100% | 80% | 89% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 92% |
| Michael Enzi (R) | Wyoming | 96% | 90% | 100% | 69% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 92% |
| Charles Grassley (R) | Iowa | 88% | 80% | 100% | 73% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 90% |
| Mike Crapo (R) | Idaho | 88% | 85% | 100% | 67% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 90% |
| Wayne Allard (R) | Colorado | 88% | 95% | 100% | 67% | 89% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 90% |
| Elizabeth Dole (R) | North Carolina | 96% | 80% | 100% | 62% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 90% |
| Pat Roberts (R) | Kansas | 84% | 90% | 100% | 40% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 87% |
| Lindsey Graham (R) | South Carolina | 83% | 95% | 100% | 92% | 44% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 87% |
| Richard Burr (R) | North Carolina | 92% | 90% | 100% | 100% | 89% | 85% | 75% | 60% | 86% |
| Mitch McConnell (R) | Kentucky | 84% | 95% | 100% | 53% | 78% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 86% |
| Sam Brownback (R) | Kansas | 87% | 90% | 100% | 80% | 56% | 85% | 100% | 80% | 85% |
| Richard Shelby (R) | Alabama | 74% | 80% | 100% | 40% | 89% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 83% |
| Roger Wicker (R) | Mississippi | 88% | 86% | 100% | 52% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 85% | 83% |
| Mel Martinez (R) | Florida | 84% | 95% | 100% | 60% | 38% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 82% |
| Kit Bond (R) | Missouri | 80% | 90% | 100% | 13% | 89% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 82% |
| Larry Craig (R) | Idaho | 88% | 95% | 100% | 50% | 67% | 71% | 100% | 80% | 81% |
| Chuck Hagel (R) | Nebraska | 75% | N/A | 100% | 50% | 44% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 81% |
| Bob Corker (R) | Tennessee | N/A | N/A | N/A | 60% | N/A | 100% | N/A | N/A | 80% |
| Kay Hutchison (R) | Texas | 84% | 90% | 100% | 53% | 78% | 85% | 75% | 60% | 78% |
| Orrin Hatch (R) | Utah | 84% | N/A | 100% | 47% | 89% | 85% | 75% | 60% | 77% |
| Pete Domenici (R) | New Mexico | 75% | 90% | 100% | 15% | 56% | 100% | 100% | 80% | 77% |
| Norm Coleman (R) | Minnesota | 68% | 75% | 100% | 33% | 56% | 85% | 100% | 80% | 75% |
| Ben Nelson (D) | Nebraska | 64% | 95% | 89% | 7% | 100% | 85% | 75% | 80% | 74% |
| Judd Gregg (R) | New Hampshire | 72% | 95% | 100% | 47% | 50% | 71% | 75% | 80% | 74% |
| Lamar Alexander (R) | Tennessee | 72% | 90% | 100% | 33% | 67% | 85% | 75% | 60% | 73% |
| John McCain (R) | Arizona | 65% | 80% | 100% | 100% | 38% | 42% | 75% | 80% | 73% |
| Robert Bennett (R) | Utah | 72% | 90% | 100% | 40% | 56% | 85% | 75% | 60% | 72% |
| Richard Lugar (R) | Indiana | 64% | 75% | 100% | 67% | 33% | 71% | 75% | 60% | 68% |
| Thad Cochran (R) | Mississippi | 67% | 80% | 100% | 13% | 63% | 85% | 75% | 60% | 68% |
| Gordon Smith (R) | Oregon | 72% | 90% | 100% | 47% | 56% | 57% | 50% | 60% | 67% |
| George Voinovich (R) | Ohio | 56% | 50% | 89% | 29% | 33% | 85% | 100% | 60% | 63% |
| Lisa Murkowski (R) | Alaska | 71% | 95% | 100% | 20% | 44% | 57% | 50% | 60% | 62% |
| Ted Stevens (R) | Alaska | 64% | 95% | 100% | 13% | 33% | 57% | 50% | 60% | 59% |
| John Warner (R) | Virginia | 64% | 80% | 100% | 15% | 44% | 57% | 50% | 60% | 59% |
| Susan Collins (R) | Maine | 48% | 60% | 78% | 27% | 44% | 28% | 0% | 60% | 43% |
| Arlen Specter (R) | Pennsylvania | 43% | 70% | 88% | 13% | 25% | 28% | 0% | 60% | 41% |
| Olympia Snowe (R) | Maine | 36% | 50% | 78% | 27% | 33% | 28% | 0% | 60% | 39% |
| Mary Landrieu (D) | Louisiana | 24% | 30% | 67% | 13% | 22% | 42% | 50% | 40% | 36% |
| Robert Byrd (D) | West Virginia | 21% | 10% | 56% | 7% | 67% | 14% | 50% | 40% | 33% |
| Mark Pryor (D) | Arkansas | 20% | 25% | 56% | 7% | 33% | 14% | 50% | 40% | 31% |
| Kent Conrad (D) | North Dakota | 33% | 15% | 33% | 7% | 44% | 42% | 25% | 40% | 30% |
| Bill Nelson (D) | Florida | 40% | 35% | 33% | 7% | 44% | 0% | 25% | 40% | 28% |
| Bob Casey (D) | Pennsylvania | N/A | N/A | N/A | 7% | N/A | 42% | N/A | N/A | 25% |
| Tim Johnson (D) | South Dakota | 12% | 10% | 25% | 0% | 22% | 14% | 50% | 60% | 24% |
| Tom Carper (D) | Delaware | 20% | 15% | 33% | 14% | 33% | 0% | 25% | 20% | 20% |
| Claire McCaskill (D) | Missouri | N/A | N/A | N/A | 40% | N/A | 0% | N/A | N/A | 20% |
| Ken Salazar (D) | Colorado | 17% | 10% | 44% | 7% | 13% | 14% | 25% | 20% | 19% |
| Evan Bayh (D) | Indiana | 16% | 15% | 11% | 36% | 11% | 14% | 25% | 20% | 19% |
| Byron Dorgan (D) | North Dakota | 12% | 5% | 0% | 7% | 44% | 28% | 25% | 20% | 18% |
| Harry Reid (D) | Nevada | 12% | 10% | 11% | 7% | 11% | 0% | 50% | 40% | 18% |
| Max Baucus (D) | Montana | 8% | 25% | 11% | 7% | 22% | 14% | 0% | 40% | 16% |
| Russ Feingold (D) | Wisconsin | 8% | 15% | 0% | 80% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 15% |
| Blanche Lincoln (D) | Arkansas | 8% | 20% | 0% | 14% | 22% | 14% | 0% | 40% | 15% |
| Herbert Kohl (D) | Wisconsin | 16% | 15% | 14% | 7% | 11% | 0% | 25% | 20% | 14% |
| Joseph Lieberman (I) | Connecticut | 17% | 15% | 33% | 7% | 0% | 14% | 0% | 20% | 13% |
| Daniel Inouye (D) | Hawaii | 8% | 5% | 33% | 7% | 0% | 0% | 25% | 20% | 12% |
| Barack Obama (D) | Illinois | 8% | 15% | 11% | 33% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 11% |
| Ben Cardin (D) | Maryland | 8% | 14% | 29% | 7% | 14% | 0% | 0% | 14% | 11% |
| Sherrod Brown (D) | Ohio | 25% | 18% | 31% | 8% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 10% |
| Debbie Stabenow (D) | Michigan | 16% | 5% | 0% | 7% | 33% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 10% |
| John Kerry (D) | Massachusetts | 12% | 15% | 0% | 7% | 11% | 14% | 0% | 20% | 10% |
| Ron Wyden (D) | Oregon | 8% | 10% | 11% | 7% | 22% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 10% |
| Dianne Feinstein (D) | California | 0% | 10% | 11% | 7% | 11% | 14% | 0% | 20% | 9% |
| Jeff Bingaman (D) | New Mexico | 8% | 10% | 22% | 13% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 9% |
| Hillary Clinton (D) | New York | 8% | 10% | 11% | 11% | 11% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 9% |
| Tom Harkin (D) | Iowa | 8% | 5% | 11% | 13% | 11% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 9% |
| Charles Schumer (D) | New York | 4% | 5% | 11% | 7% | 11% | 0% | 0% | 25% | 8% |
| Joseph Biden (D) | Delaware | 4% | 10% | 0% | 17% | 11% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 8% |
| Patrick Leahy (D) | Vermont | 0% | 10% | 11% | 7% | 11% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 7% |
| Bernard Sanders (I) | Vermont | 8% | 14% | 15% | 7% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 14% | 7% |
| Daniel Akaka (D) | Hawaii | 0% | 5% | 11% | 7% | 0% | 14% | 0% | 20% | 7% |
| Barbara Mikulski (D) | Maryland | 0% | 5% | 11% | 7% | 11% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 7% |
| Maria Cantwell (D) | Washington | 12% | 15% | 0% | 7% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 7% |
| Edward Kennedy (D) | Massachusetts | 0% | 5% | 0% | 9% | 0% | 14% | 0% | 25% | 7% |
| Jon Tester (D) | Montana | N/A | N/A | N/A | 13% | N/A | 0% | N/A | N/A | 7% |
| Jim Webb (D) | Virginia | N/A | N/A | N/A | 13% | N/A | 0% | N/A | N/A | 7% |
| Barbara Boxer (D) | California | 8% | 5% | 0% | 7% | 11% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 6% |
| Carl Levin (D) | Michigan | 8% | 5% | 0% | 7% | 11% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 6% |
| Dick Durbin (D) | Illinois | 4% | 5% | 11% | 7% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 6% |
| Patty Murray (D) | Washington | 4% | 15% | 0% | 7% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 6% |
| John Rockefeller (D) | West Virginia | 10% | 5% | 11% | 17% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 5% |
| Frank Lautenberg (D) | New Jersey | 0% | 5% | N/A | 7% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 5% |
| Bob Menendez (D) | New Jersey | 4% | 5% | 0% | 7% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 5% |
| Jack Reed (D) | Rhode Island | 4% | 5% | 0% | 7% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 20% | 5% |
| Amy Klobuchar (D) | Minnesota | N/A | N/A | N/A | 7% | N/A | 0% | N/A | N/A | 4% |
| Sheldon Whitehouse (D) | Rhode Island | N/A | N/A | N/A | 7% | N/A | 0% | N/A | N/A | 4% |
| Christopher Dodd (D) | Connecticut | 8% | 5% | 0% | 14% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 3% |
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