Several of the most vulnerable House incumbents on Friday changed their votes in favor of the latest version of a $700 billion bailout package for the economy.
A few Democratic freshmen and veteran GOP incumbents fighting for their political lives over the next month made what might be a courageous vote, even as their phones and e-mail inboxes were flooded with pleas to vote no and their opponents readied attacks.
{mosads}Among those flipping were top-targeted Reps. Vern Buchanan (R-Fla.), Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), Joe Knollenberg (R-Mich.), Randy Kuhl (R-N.Y.), Harry Mitchell (D-Ariz.), Jean Schmidt (R-Ohio) and John Yarmuth (D-Ky.).
Those facing potentially difficult races who flipped included Reps. Charles Boustany (R-La.), Charles Dent (R-Pa.), Jim Gerlach (R-Pa.), John Shadegg (R-Ariz.), Lee Terry (R-Neb.) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.).
Only about one in four of the most vulnerable members voted for the bill Monday. On Friday, they split about 50-50 overall, but the most vulnerable members continued to lean against the bill.
Vulnerable senators broke slightly in favor of the bill Wednesday.
Those lawmakers who flipped votes were in little rush to explain themselves as they headed for home to preserve their political futures with just a month left to campaign. But those who stuck with their no votes and challengers who opposed the legislation continued to speak out.
Arizona state Sen. Tim Bee (R) criticized Giffords after she switched her vote.
“Her vote to roll over taxpayers was bought with tax credits that a real leader would have passed months ago as part of an all-of-the-above energy package,” Bee said in a statement.
Giffords defended her vote, saying that "many parts of this legislation added by the Senate are ridiculous – to me and my constituents. But sitting on the sidelines and risking major economic collapse would be irresponsible."
Gerlach’s opponent, businessman Bob Roggio, said Gerlach failed his constituents.
“We asked him for courage and sound judgment; he gave us a weak-kneed flip-flop that proved, once and for all, that he lacks the fortitude it takes to make tough decisions during difficult times,” Roggio said.
Rep. Travis Childers (R-Miss.), who will try to hold his seat just months after winning it in a hotly contested special election, stuck with his no vote, saying the bill didn’t do enough to allay his concerns.
“No ‘sweetener’ was going to change my vote,” Childers said. “This was too big and too important to be swayed by anything other than principle.”
Another special-election winner who opposed both versions, Rep. Don Cazayoux (D-La.), said, “I was hopeful that the new compromise bill would have a smaller price tag with less taxpayer liability, but it did not.”
A list of the House members who changed their vote is available on the Briefing Room Blog .