Given that John Edwards is a relative unknown among the Kossacks, they have, at times, based their opinion of him on relatively superficial characteristics, such as his Southern roots. As a result, he's often perceived as far more conservative than he is.
For a general election, this perception works for him; it's better to be more liberal than you appear than more conservative, as is the case for Dean. However, in the primary, it can be a liability.
So I figured I'd compare his record to his fellow Senators, so the Kossoacks could see which better-known Senators' records most closely resemble John Edwards'.
Methodology: Votes considered were those in which both Edwards and the other Senator voted either "Yea" or "Nay"; those votes where they held the same position are counted as agreement.
In the 106th Congress, 1st Sesson:
Senator Agreement
Bayh IN 92%
Sarbanes MD 92%
Mikulski MD 91%
Levin MI 91%
Durbin IL 91%
In the 106th Congress, 2nd Session:
Senator Agreement
Akaka HI 94%
Kennedy MA 93%
Bryan NV 92%
Bayh IN 92%
Kerry MA 92%
In the 107th Congress, 1st Session:
Senator Agreement
Mikulski MD 95%
Akaka HI 93%
Schumer NY 93%
Leahy VT 93%
Reed NV 93%
In the 107th Congress, 2nd Session:
Senator Agreement
Carnahan MO 93%
Kerry MA 92%
Lieberman CT 91%
Johnson SD 91%
Nelson FL 90%
In the 108th Congress, 1st Session:
Senator Agreement
Lieberman CT 98%
Kerry MA 98%
Daschle SD 96%
Durbin IL 96%
Sarbanes MD 96%
With whom was he most often in disagreement?
In the 106th, 1st: Nickles (R-OK), Kyl (R-AZ), Sessions (R-AL), Thomas (R-WY), Enzi (R-WY).
In the 106th, 2nd: Kyle (R-AZ), Gramm (R-TX), Nickles (R-OK), Santorum (R-PA), Ensign (R-NV).
In the 107th, 1st: Kyl (R-AZ), Gramm (R-TX), Smith (R-NH), Nickles (R-OK), Helms (R-NC).
In the 107th, 2nd: Inhofe (R-OK), Smith (R-NH), Coverdell (R-GA), Helms (R-NC), Gramm (R-TX).
In the 108th, 1st: Nickels (R-OK), Kyl (R-AZ), Smith (R-NH), Gramm (R-TX), Thompson (R-TN).
