U.S. House members often go their own way
By Edward Lee Pitts Washington Bureau
Chattanooga Times-Free Press
Tuesday, January 3, 2006

WASHINGTON — Tennessee’s nine U.S. House members along with two House members from Northwest Georgia made an average of 97 percent of the House’s 671 recorded votes this year, records show.

Tennessee’s four Republican House members and two GOP congressmen from Northwest Georgia voted with their party an average of 93 percent of the time in 2005, records show.

Meanwhile, Tennessee’s five Democrats in the House sided with their party on votes 85 percent of the time, records show. The Democrats supported President Bush more than half of the time in 2005, records show.

"Tennessee is a red state. It’s a Bush state," said Dr. Larry Sabato, a University of Virginia political science professor.

Rep. Zach Wamp, R-Tenn., voted with the majority of Republicans 94 percent of the time and disagreed with President Bush four times in 2005. He said he puts the people of his district above loyalty to party and White House. "If I voted against him four times, then that means the people in my district in Tennessee only thought the president was wrong four times," Rep. Wamp said.

Rep. John Duncan, RTenn., voted with President Bush 72 percent of the time when President Bush made his position known, the lowest of any Tennessee Republican.

"Some people in our leadership do think I’m a little too independent," Rep. Duncan said. "But I’m a traditional conservative that believes big-government conservatism is an oxymoron. Even husbands, wives and best friends don’t agree on everything."

Rep. Lincoln Davis, D-Tenn., cast votes supporting President Bush’s stated position 64 percent of the time. It was the highest of any Tennessee Democrat. He voted with his party 82 percent of the time, the lowest of any Tennessee Democrat.

"I don’t check the list to see how the Democrats are voting or how the Republicans are voting," Rep. Davis said. "Looking at each item, I ask how my nextdoor neighbor would vote if he had the same information."

Dr. Bruce Oppenheimer, a Vanderbilt University political science professor, said it is not uncommon for politicians to vote across party lines during the course of a long session.

"Political campaigns and parties tend to make things look a little more polarized than they really are in the Washington process," Dr. Oppenheimer said.

The publication National Journal this year ranked Rep. Davis as one of the 10 most conservative Democrats in the House.

Rep. Davis broke with Democrats and sided with President Bush to vote in favor of greater regulation of class-action lawsuits. He supported permanent repeal of the estate tax and requiring notification of parents before their child could be taken across state lines for an abortion.

Rep. Duncan did not miss a vote this year. He estimated he has cast about 10,000 votes since joining the House in 1988. "That is one of my highest priorities," he said.

Rep. Harold Ford, D-Tenn., missed 52 votes, giving him a 92. 3 percent voting rate.

"I don’t criticize people who miss votes," Rep. Ford said. "People have obligations in their districts or personal obligations they need to attend to."

Rep. Ford said he might miss additional votes in 2006 as he campaigns for the Senate seat being vacated by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.

"It is not uncommon for a candidate of the U.S. Senate to miss a few votes," Rep. Ford said. "I will be here for all the spending votes and budget votes."

Rep. Wamp said most of the 14 votes he missed were resolutions to name bridges or roads after people but not major legislation.