1. How Biden/Dems
(a) secure a senate majority,
(b) appear *bipartisan* &
(c) make Georgia senate runoffs moot
- a thread!

Biden SHOULD appoint Republicans to his cabinet/senior exec branch positions. Why? Well if done strategically it can secure a senate majority for Dems.

2. Biden can pluck a handful of Republican senators to fill cabinet positions/senior executive branch positions - thus luring them away from the senate. The reward? These picks can yield Democratic senator replacements.

3. How? In 37 states, if a senator leaves their position early, for whatever reason, state legislatures empower gubernatorial selection of the replacement, pro tem, at least until the next regular statewide general election.

4. Now put this to the test - and some of these appointments may make you retch but the focus is not their appointment but their replacement. Before making such unpalatable suggestions - there is a wrinkle:

5. In 6 states (AZ, HI, MD, MN, NC & WY), the replacement has to be from the same party as the departed. This narrows the pool.

So, Republicans Richard Burr to head CIA & Thom Tillis to Commerce (yeah, I know...) don't cut the mustard because both represent like-for-like NC.

6. However there is a veritable feast (i.e. hold your noses) of candidates to choose from:

(i) Pat Toomey - a very obvious choice, and is this delicious little missive:
https://www.toomey.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/release-toomey-statement-on-pa-federal-court-decision-congratulates-president-elect-biden

a sign of white smoke from Toomey's manoir chimney?

(ii) Maine: Susan Collins - stop cackling, focus on the goal and send her off to the UN as ambassador. You all want her out of the senate, right?

(iii) Kansas: Both senators - Jerry Moran and Pat Roberts although Roberts is closer to 90 than 80.

And how about:

(iv) Kentucky! There's no way Mitch McConnell or Rand Paul are headed to the cabinet. But, as is the case of those eligible on this thread, the prize is their Dem Governor gets to replace them with Dem senators. It's almost worth it for these two alone.

(v) Louisiana: Again both senators Kennedy and Cassidy could be replaced by Dems. Imagine Kennedy at DoJ ...

(vi) Montana - Steve Daines, put him in Agriculture!

I think that exhausts the list of potentials.

Now, how to make Georgia senate runoffs moot:

7. Assume the worst for Dems: they lose both Georgia runoffs and the senate is 52-48 GOP majority. Just switching 2 of the eligible senators from the senate to cabinet/executive branch erodes the GOP majority, with VP as the casting vote.

8. Fantastical scenario? Yes. Contingent on many things not least senators vacating seats for an undetermined period in the exec branch. But should Dems win 1 or 2 of the Georgia runoffs, it only takes 1 (Toomey?) or 2 to shift over to provide a little more comfort in Senate.