WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.140 Welcome to another deep dive. We're really glad 00:00:03.140 --> 00:00:04.799 you could join us today. Yeah. Thanks for being 00:00:04.799 --> 00:00:06.799 here. If you're preparing for a major policy 00:00:06.799 --> 00:00:09.279 meeting or maybe you're just, you know, trying 00:00:09.279 --> 00:00:11.480 to catch up on the structural dynamics of the 00:00:11.480 --> 00:00:14.039 federal government. Or even just looking to understand 00:00:14.039 --> 00:00:16.920 the specific individuals who are currently pulling 00:00:16.920 --> 00:00:19.960 the levers of American power. Exactly. If that's 00:00:19.960 --> 00:00:22.859 you, you are definitely in the right place. Our 00:00:22.859 --> 00:00:25.859 mission today is to unpack a really comprehensive 00:00:25.859 --> 00:00:29.600 Wikipedia article detailing the list of current 00:00:29.600 --> 00:00:32.740 United States senators for the 119th Congress. 00:00:33.039 --> 00:00:36.299 Which sounds a bit dry at first. Right. At first 00:00:36.299 --> 00:00:38.280 glance, you might assume a directory like this 00:00:38.280 --> 00:00:40.700 is just a boring spreadsheet of names, dates 00:00:40.700 --> 00:00:43.600 and states. Just raw data. Yeah. But when we 00:00:43.600 --> 00:00:46.159 look closer, it actually serves as a highly detailed 00:00:46.159 --> 00:00:48.500 map of the human terrain of the United States 00:00:48.500 --> 00:00:51.549 Senate. We are going to explore the unexpectedly 00:00:51.549 --> 00:00:54.450 diverse backgrounds of the people wielding this 00:00:54.450 --> 00:00:56.850 power. The hidden mechanical quirks, too. Oh, 00:00:56.869 --> 00:00:59.149 absolutely. The loopholes that determine how 00:00:59.149 --> 00:01:01.329 they actually secure those seats and where they 00:01:01.329 --> 00:01:03.750 officially rank in the grand hierarchy of the 00:01:03.750 --> 00:01:05.870 American government. And just to set the ground 00:01:05.870 --> 00:01:08.670 rules for today's analysis, since we are examining 00:01:08.670 --> 00:01:11.090 current political figures and structural data 00:01:11.090 --> 00:01:12.790 involving both the Democratic and Republican 00:01:12.790 --> 00:01:15.810 parties, we're playing this strictly down the 00:01:15.810 --> 00:01:18.370 middle. Total neutrality. Exactly. We will maintain 00:01:18.370 --> 00:01:20.390 strict neutrality throughout the discussion. 00:01:20.829 --> 00:01:23.379 There are no endorsements here. We're not making 00:01:23.379 --> 00:01:27.500 policy judgments. Our focus is entirely on imparting 00:01:27.500 --> 00:01:30.019 the factual data and the structural mechanics 00:01:30.019 --> 00:01:32.560 detailed in the source material, just so you 00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:34.980 can understand how the institution operates right 00:01:34.980 --> 00:01:38.260 now during the 119th Congress. That neutrality 00:01:38.260 --> 00:01:41.060 is so crucial because today we are looking at 00:01:41.060 --> 00:01:43.500 the bare metal blueprint of the institution itself. 00:01:43.719 --> 00:01:45.340 OK, let's unpack this. Right. Let's dive in. 00:01:45.400 --> 00:01:47.840 Let's start with the raw composition of the chamber 00:01:47.840 --> 00:01:52.090 as it stands in January of 2025. We have. 100 00:01:52.090 --> 00:01:55.069 members total. Two representing each of the 50 00:01:55.069 --> 00:01:58.049 states. Yep. And the current breakdown is 53 00:01:58.049 --> 00:02:01.269 Republicans, 45 Democrats and two independents. 00:02:01.450 --> 00:02:03.489 Though we need to pause on those independents. 00:02:03.590 --> 00:02:07.409 We do. Because regarding those two independents, 00:02:07.409 --> 00:02:09.830 Angus King of Maine and Bernie Sanders of Vermont, 00:02:10.090 --> 00:02:12.629 they vigorously protect their independent branding 00:02:12.629 --> 00:02:15.330 back in their home states. Oh, fiercely. But 00:02:15.330 --> 00:02:17.939 the source material notes that. Functionally, 00:02:17.939 --> 00:02:20.419 within the halls of Washington, they officially 00:02:20.419 --> 00:02:23.419 caucus with the Democratic Party. And that procedural 00:02:23.419 --> 00:02:26.520 reality fundamentally changes the math for how 00:02:26.520 --> 00:02:29.620 the Senate operates. How so? Well, caucusing 00:02:29.620 --> 00:02:32.300 with the Democrats means King and Sanders sit 00:02:32.300 --> 00:02:34.379 in on the Senate Democratic caucus meetings. 00:02:34.639 --> 00:02:37.039 They align with them for all organizational purposes. 00:02:37.259 --> 00:02:39.159 Which is everything in the Senate. Right. It's 00:02:39.159 --> 00:02:41.419 a rigidly structured body. Things like committee 00:02:41.419 --> 00:02:44.439 assignments, floor time, legislative scheduling, 00:02:44.580 --> 00:02:47.340 all of that is distributed. based on party blocks. 00:02:47.620 --> 00:02:50.639 So while their ballots say independent, the structural 00:02:50.639 --> 00:02:53.259 reality absorbs them into the Democratic machinery. 00:02:53.599 --> 00:02:56.780 Giving the Democrats a functional 47 seat voting 00:02:56.780 --> 00:02:59.300 block when organizing the chamber. Exactly. And 00:02:59.300 --> 00:03:01.560 on the other side of the aisle, holding 53 seats, 00:03:01.740 --> 00:03:03.979 the Republicans control the majority leadership. 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:07.120 You have Senator John Thune of South Dakota operating 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:09.840 as the Senate majority leader. With Senator John 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:12.819 Barrasso of Wyoming serving as the majority whip. 00:03:13.240 --> 00:03:15.939 Right. For the minority, Senator Chuck Schumer 00:03:15.939 --> 00:03:18.379 of New York is the minority leader, alongside 00:03:18.379 --> 00:03:21.360 Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois as the minority 00:03:21.360 --> 00:03:24.960 whip. But beyond those party wranglers, the constitutional 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:27.259 leadership of the Senate introduces a completely 00:03:27.259 --> 00:03:29.750 different dynamic. It really does. The Constitution 00:03:29.750 --> 00:03:32.530 designates the vice president of the United States 00:03:32.530 --> 00:03:35.229 as the president of the Senate, which currently 00:03:35.229 --> 00:03:37.650 places Vice President J .D. Vance, a Republican 00:03:37.650 --> 00:03:40.449 from Ohio, in that role. Because Vice President 00:03:40.449 --> 00:03:44.030 Vance holds the tie -breaking vote, it shifts 00:03:44.030 --> 00:03:47.250 the entire strategic landscape for Senator Thune 00:03:47.250 --> 00:03:49.310 and the Republican majority. Because he doesn't 00:03:49.310 --> 00:03:51.270 actually represent a state in a voting capacity, 00:03:51.569 --> 00:03:53.789 right? Right. He only casts a vote in the event 00:03:53.789 --> 00:03:56.340 of a deadlock. But practically speaking, having 00:03:56.340 --> 00:03:58.879 that ultimate tiebreaker in your column means 00:03:58.879 --> 00:04:01.379 the majority party only ever needs 50 reliable 00:04:01.379 --> 00:04:04.400 votes rather than 51 to push through an entirely 00:04:04.400 --> 00:04:07.419 partisan agenda or confirm controversial nominees. 00:04:07.659 --> 00:04:10.620 It makes every single defector crucial. Absolutely. 00:04:10.780 --> 00:04:13.460 But it provides a significant mathematical cushion. 00:04:14.439 --> 00:04:17.100 Now, when the vice president is not presiding 00:04:17.100 --> 00:04:20.139 over the chamber, that duty falls to the president 00:04:20.139 --> 00:04:22.779 pro tempore. Currently, that's Republican Chuck 00:04:22.779 --> 00:04:25.720 Grassley of Iowa. Yes. He holds this title as 00:04:25.720 --> 00:04:28.220 the party dean. Since he's the senator with the 00:04:28.220 --> 00:04:30.439 most seniority in the majority party. And that 00:04:30.439 --> 00:04:32.720 seniority translates directly into the day -to 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:34.860 -day operations of the chamber. If we connect 00:04:34.860 --> 00:04:37.939 this to the bigger picture, this rigid structure 00:04:37.939 --> 00:04:41.680 of majority control and strict seniority dictates 00:04:41.680 --> 00:04:43.980 absolutely everything about who sets the agenda. 00:04:44.180 --> 00:04:46.600 Right. The 53 Republican seats don't just represent. 00:04:47.069 --> 00:04:49.589 A voting advantage. They represent total control 00:04:49.589 --> 00:04:51.829 over the committee chairmanships. The source 00:04:51.829 --> 00:04:53.670 material highlights several of these shifts. 00:04:53.829 --> 00:04:56.449 You have Republicans like Tom Cotton of Arkansas 00:04:56.449 --> 00:04:58.050 chairing the Select Committee on Intelligence. 00:04:58.389 --> 00:05:00.829 And Tim Scott of South Carolina chairing the 00:05:00.829 --> 00:05:02.750 Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. 00:05:02.990 --> 00:05:05.990 And those committee chairs wield immense, often 00:05:05.990 --> 00:05:09.069 unseen power. They decide which bills get hearings. 00:05:09.250 --> 00:05:11.250 They control the scheduling. And they have the 00:05:11.250 --> 00:05:13.990 authority to just bury legislation before it 00:05:13.990 --> 00:05:16.089 ever reaches the Senate floor for a broader debate. 00:05:16.410 --> 00:05:18.569 Here's where it gets really interesting. Let's 00:05:18.569 --> 00:05:20.649 look at the actual individuals sitting in those 00:05:20.649 --> 00:05:23.029 hundred chairs and wielding that committee power. 00:05:23.170 --> 00:05:26.050 The resumes. Yes, the resumes. There is this 00:05:26.050 --> 00:05:29.589 persistent stereotype that the Senate is exclusively 00:05:29.589 --> 00:05:32.949 populated by lifelong politicians who followed 00:05:32.949 --> 00:05:36.149 a very specific pipeline. You know, Ivy League 00:05:36.149 --> 00:05:39.899 Law School. a stint as a prosecutor or corporate 00:05:39.899 --> 00:05:42.379 attorney, and then a campaign for office. Which, 00:05:42.540 --> 00:05:44.639 to be fair, is true for a lot of them. Oh, sure. 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:47.279 The occupations column in our source document 00:05:47.279 --> 00:05:49.279 definitely features its fair share of lawyers. 00:05:49.560 --> 00:05:52.040 But the resumes of the powerful are significantly 00:05:52.040 --> 00:05:55.100 more diverse than that stereotype suggests. It's 00:05:55.100 --> 00:05:57.379 not just a quirk of the data either. It actually 00:05:57.379 --> 00:05:59.639 reflects the framers' original design. Exactly. 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:02.379 They wanted the Senate to represent the specific 00:06:02.379 --> 00:06:05.079 economic engines and localized cultures of the 00:06:05.079 --> 00:06:08.079 states themselves. And the occupational variety 00:06:08.079 --> 00:06:11.319 becomes striking when you analyze the specific 00:06:11.319 --> 00:06:13.759 professional backgrounds these senators bring 00:06:13.759 --> 00:06:16.439 to the table. The contrast is immediately apparent 00:06:16.439 --> 00:06:18.620 when we look at the athletes and coaches. You 00:06:18.620 --> 00:06:21.199 have Senator Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from 00:06:21.199 --> 00:06:23.920 Alabama whose listed occupation is college football 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:26.360 coach. Right. Then there's Senator Mark Wayne 00:06:26.360 --> 00:06:29.180 Mullen, a Republican from Oklahoma. Alongside 00:06:29.180 --> 00:06:31.660 being a businessman and radio host, his resume 00:06:31.660 --> 00:06:35.180 explicitly lists mixed martial artist. That is 00:06:35.180 --> 00:06:37.240 a very different kind of professional background 00:06:37.240 --> 00:06:39.680 than navigating a corporate boardroom. It really 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:42.579 speaks to a completely different style of constituent 00:06:42.579 --> 00:06:44.639 connection and local. localized representation. 00:06:45.459 --> 00:06:48.180 But the variety becomes even more consequential 00:06:48.180 --> 00:06:51.360 when we examine the STEM and medical fields represented 00:06:51.360 --> 00:06:53.699 in the chamber. The technical expertise is actually 00:06:53.699 --> 00:06:56.160 quite substantial. You have Mark Kelly, a Democrat 00:06:56.160 --> 00:06:59.060 from Arizona, whose occupation includes U .S. 00:06:59.060 --> 00:07:02.040 Navy officer and NASA astronaut. Pretty unique 00:07:02.040 --> 00:07:04.740 resume there. Unbelievably unique. Or consider 00:07:04.740 --> 00:07:07.680 Jackie Rosen, a Democrat from Nevada, whose background 00:07:07.680 --> 00:07:09.939 is in software development and computer programming. 00:07:10.459 --> 00:07:13.120 And John Hickenlooper, a Democrat from Colorado, 00:07:13.360 --> 00:07:15.759 worked as a geologist before entering business 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:18.899 and politics. We also see a very strong, highly 00:07:18.899 --> 00:07:20.959 specialized presence from the medical field. 00:07:21.220 --> 00:07:23.939 Republican Rand Paul of Kentucky is a physician 00:07:23.939 --> 00:07:26.439 specializing in ophthalmology. And Republican 00:07:26.439 --> 00:07:28.620 Bill Cassidy of Louisiana is also a physician. 00:07:29.279 --> 00:07:31.420 Beyond the technical fields, there is a prominent 00:07:31.420 --> 00:07:33.980 block of senators whose occupations represent 00:07:33.980 --> 00:07:37.339 the everyday foundational industries of the country. 00:07:37.660 --> 00:07:40.079 Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock of Georgia 00:07:40.079 --> 00:07:42.540 is a pastor. A very community -focused role. 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:44.819 Very much so. And then we have a group of senators 00:07:44.819 --> 00:07:47.779 whose professional lives are deeply tied to agriculture, 00:07:48.079 --> 00:07:50.279 the very lifeblood of their state's economies. 00:07:50.699 --> 00:07:54.160 Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Joni Ernst of Iowa, and 00:07:54.160 --> 00:07:56.399 Cindy Hyde -Smith of Mississippi. All Republicans. 00:07:56.680 --> 00:07:58.660 Yes, all Republicans, and they explicitly... 00:07:58.699 --> 00:08:01.439 list farmer or rancher on their resume. Understanding 00:08:01.439 --> 00:08:03.939 these diverse professional backgrounds is vital 00:08:03.939 --> 00:08:05.920 for analyzing how the Senate actually functions. 00:08:06.339 --> 00:08:08.980 The chamber is constantly tasked with debating 00:08:08.980 --> 00:08:11.939 and passing laws on incredibly complex, highly 00:08:11.939 --> 00:08:14.699 specialized issues. Right. Like technology regulations. 00:08:15.220 --> 00:08:18.060 Exactly. When the Senate attempts to regulate 00:08:18.060 --> 00:08:20.480 emerging technologies, artificial intelligence 00:08:20.480 --> 00:08:23.439 or national data privacy standards, having a 00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:25.639 former software developer and computer programmer 00:08:25.639 --> 00:08:28.379 like Jackie Rosen in the room. fundamentally 00:08:28.379 --> 00:08:30.980 alters the baseline of the conversation. Which 00:08:30.980 --> 00:08:33.200 means the legislative body isn't relying entirely 00:08:33.200 --> 00:08:36.820 on... External lobbyists. Exactly. External lobbyists 00:08:36.820 --> 00:08:39.539 or policy staffers to explain the basic mechanics 00:08:39.539 --> 00:08:42.620 of an algorithm. The same logic applies to health 00:08:42.620 --> 00:08:45.539 care reform. When complex bills regarding Medicare 00:08:45.539 --> 00:08:47.720 reimbursement rates, hospital administrative 00:08:47.720 --> 00:08:50.080 regulations, or pharmaceutical pricing hit the 00:08:50.080 --> 00:08:52.879 floor, having practicing physicians like Rand 00:08:52.879 --> 00:08:56.139 Paul or Bill Cassidy involved introduces a real 00:08:56.139 --> 00:08:58.899 -world clinical framework. Into what is otherwise 00:08:58.899 --> 00:09:01.480 a highly bureaucratic environment. Precisely. 00:09:01.559 --> 00:09:04.659 And we see this dynamic most clearly with agriculture. 00:09:05.039 --> 00:09:07.970 When the Senate negotiates the Farm Bill, which 00:09:07.970 --> 00:09:10.289 is a massive piece of legislation that dictates 00:09:10.289 --> 00:09:12.809 the food supply, conservation efforts, and the 00:09:12.809 --> 00:09:14.809 agricultural economy for the entire country. 00:09:15.250 --> 00:09:17.970 Having farmers and ranchers like Chuck Grassley 00:09:17.970 --> 00:09:20.529 and Joni Ernst directly involved ensures the 00:09:20.529 --> 00:09:22.570 policy is shaped by individuals who understand 00:09:22.570 --> 00:09:25.980 the localized reality of crop yields. and agricultural 00:09:25.980 --> 00:09:29.080 economics. It anchors the legislative process 00:09:29.080 --> 00:09:31.820 in the actual economic engines of their respective 00:09:31.820 --> 00:09:34.360 states. It prevents the Senate from operating 00:09:34.360 --> 00:09:37.340 purely on abstract legal theory. Exactly. It 00:09:37.340 --> 00:09:40.120 really changes how you view the institution instead 00:09:40.120 --> 00:09:42.419 of a monolithic group of identical politicians. 00:09:42.919 --> 00:09:45.759 It's a geologist, an astronaut, a pastor and 00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:48.120 a mixed martial artist all trying to negotiate 00:09:48.120 --> 00:09:50.980 federal policy. It's quite the visual. It is. 00:09:51.039 --> 00:09:53.659 But navigating the path into those specific Senate 00:09:53.659 --> 00:09:55.860 seats is not. always as straightforward as winning 00:09:55.860 --> 00:09:57.820 a general election on a Tuesday in November. 00:09:58.120 --> 00:10:01.159 There are complex mechanical quirks and logistical 00:10:01.159 --> 00:10:03.980 hurdles detailed in this document. What's fascinating 00:10:03.980 --> 00:10:07.279 here is the fine print. When you analyze the 00:10:07.279 --> 00:10:10.000 footnotes of this Wikipedia page, you uncover 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:13.740 a constant churn of transition. It reveals that 00:10:13.740 --> 00:10:16.820 the transfer of power in the Senate often involves 00:10:16.820 --> 00:10:19.269 significant logistical maneuvering. The delayed 00:10:19.269 --> 00:10:21.350 inaugurations are a perfect example of this. 00:10:21.470 --> 00:10:24.210 Yes. The new Congress officially begins its term 00:10:24.210 --> 00:10:27.250 in early January. However, the footnotes reveal 00:10:27.250 --> 00:10:29.389 that Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida 00:10:29.389 --> 00:10:31.830 had his Senate inauguration delayed when he was 00:10:31.830 --> 00:10:34.710 first elected. The delay was required so he could 00:10:34.710 --> 00:10:36.769 finish out his term as the governor of Florida. 00:10:36.970 --> 00:10:39.549 And we saw the exact same mechanical delay occur 00:10:39.549 --> 00:10:42.370 with Republican Senator Jim Justice of West Virginia. 00:10:42.529 --> 00:10:44.909 Right. His inauguration was delayed in January 00:10:44.909 --> 00:10:48.169 2025, specifically so he could wrap up his executive 00:10:48.169 --> 00:10:50.549 duties as governor. So the Senate essentially 00:10:50.549 --> 00:10:52.809 has to hold their seats open while they finish 00:10:52.809 --> 00:10:55.940 their previous state level obligations. It perfectly 00:10:55.940 --> 00:10:58.559 illustrates how tightly interwoven state and 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:01.840 federal governance can be. But even more impactful 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:04.460 than delayed inaugurations is the frequency of 00:11:04.460 --> 00:11:06.519 Senate appointments. Oh, this is a huge factor. 00:11:06.740 --> 00:11:09.399 It really is. While the public generally views 00:11:09.399 --> 00:11:12.360 senators as strictly elected officials, the source 00:11:12.360 --> 00:11:15.379 material documents how often these powerful seats 00:11:15.379 --> 00:11:18.460 change hands entirely outside of the normal election 00:11:18.460 --> 00:11:21.980 cycles. Due to resignations or members transitioning 00:11:21.980 --> 00:11:24.799 to other government roles? Right. The history 00:11:24.799 --> 00:11:27.259 of Lisa Murkowski's seat is a prime example of 00:11:27.259 --> 00:11:29.799 this mechanism. The Republican from Alaska was 00:11:29.799 --> 00:11:32.259 originally appointed to her Senate seat in December 00:11:32.259 --> 00:11:35.620 of 2002. She filled a vacancy left by the resignation 00:11:35.620 --> 00:11:38.240 of Senator Frank Murkowski. Who happens to be 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:40.860 her father. Yeah, quite the connection. He resigned 00:11:40.860 --> 00:11:43.039 from the Senate upon being elected governor of 00:11:43.039 --> 00:11:46.039 Alaska and utilized his new executive power to 00:11:46.039 --> 00:11:48.440 appoint his daughter to his vacant federal seat. 00:11:48.860 --> 00:11:51.340 While she has subsequently won multiple elections 00:11:51.340 --> 00:11:53.860 to retain the position, her initial entry was 00:11:53.860 --> 00:11:55.840 secured through a direct family appointment. 00:11:56.000 --> 00:11:57.860 We observe a similar mechanism with Republican 00:11:57.860 --> 00:12:00.360 Pete Ricketts of Nebraska. He was appointed to 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:03.379 his seat in January 2023 following the resignation 00:12:03.379 --> 00:12:06.899 of Senator Ben Sasse. But this process is particularly 00:12:06.899 --> 00:12:10.179 relevant right now in 2025, as the new presidential 00:12:10.179 --> 00:12:12.419 administration has triggered a massive shift 00:12:12.419 --> 00:12:14.750 in the Senate map. Because J .D. Vance was elected 00:12:14.750 --> 00:12:17.429 vice president, he was required to resign his 00:12:17.429 --> 00:12:20.149 Senate seat representing Ohio. Consequently, 00:12:20.330 --> 00:12:22.710 the governor of Ohio appointed Republican Bernie 00:12:22.710 --> 00:12:25.190 Moreno to fill that vacancy. And simultaneously 00:12:25.190 --> 00:12:28.830 in Florida, Marco Rubio was confirmed as secretary 00:12:28.830 --> 00:12:30.970 of state. Opening up his seat. Which the governor 00:12:30.970 --> 00:12:33.149 filled by appointing Republican Ashley Moody. 00:12:33.529 --> 00:12:35.929 It's critical to understand that these gubernatorial 00:12:35.929 --> 00:12:38.730 appointments are not permanent passes for a full 00:12:38.730 --> 00:12:41.870 six -year term. The footnotes explicitly clarify 00:12:41.870 --> 00:12:44.669 that because of these specific vacancies, both 00:12:44.669 --> 00:12:47.110 Ohio and Florida are mandated to hold special 00:12:47.110 --> 00:12:50.309 elections in 2026. Right. The voters must go 00:12:50.309 --> 00:12:52.350 to the polls to elect representatives strictly 00:12:52.350 --> 00:12:54.190 to complete the remainder of the original class 00:12:54.190 --> 00:12:56.429 three terms. And just to clarify the mechanics 00:12:56.429 --> 00:12:59.009 of those classes for a moment, the framers designed 00:12:59.009 --> 00:13:01.570 the Senate to be staggered. They divided the 00:13:01.570 --> 00:13:04.179 100 seats into three. separate classes. This 00:13:04.179 --> 00:13:06.299 ensures that only one third of the Senate is 00:13:06.299 --> 00:13:08.799 up for election every two years, preventing the 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:10.980 entire chamber from being turned over in a single 00:13:10.980 --> 00:13:14.379 election cycle. Exactly. So for Ohio and Florida, 00:13:14.460 --> 00:13:17.059 these specific class three seats do not naturally 00:13:17.059 --> 00:13:21.000 expire until 2028. The special elections in 2026 00:13:21.000 --> 00:13:24.100 are high stakes off cycle battles merely to determine 00:13:24.100 --> 00:13:26.759 who gets to serve out the final two years of 00:13:26.759 --> 00:13:29.440 Vance and Rubio's original mandates. It guarantees 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:31.639 that the political map is in a constant state 00:13:31.639 --> 00:13:34.620 of flux. Millions of dollars and immense political 00:13:34.620 --> 00:13:37.240 capital will be spent defending these appointed 00:13:37.240 --> 00:13:40.799 seats. So we have this constant, relentless churn 00:13:40.799 --> 00:13:43.220 of power. Political parties and individual candidates 00:13:43.220 --> 00:13:45.960 are fighting tooth and nail, utilizing every 00:13:45.960 --> 00:13:48.320 appointment loophole and special election possible 00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:50.940 to. secure these 100 seats? It's highly competitive. 00:13:51.159 --> 00:13:53.539 It is. But despite the incredible lengths people 00:13:53.539 --> 00:13:55.700 go to secure a place in the United States Senate, 00:13:55.899 --> 00:13:58.080 there is an official document that puts their 00:13:58.080 --> 00:14:00.460 actual status into a rather surprising perspective. 00:14:00.840 --> 00:14:03.100 At the very bottom of our source document, there 00:14:03.100 --> 00:14:05.639 is an official list called the Order of Precedence. 00:14:05.879 --> 00:14:08.620 It literally dictates the ceremonial and diplomatic 00:14:08.620 --> 00:14:11.379 hierarchy of the United States government. Given 00:14:11.379 --> 00:14:13.539 their immense constitutional power to confirm 00:14:13.539 --> 00:14:16.179 Supreme Court justices, ratify international 00:14:16.179 --> 00:14:18.649 treaties, and authorize trillions of dollars 00:14:18.649 --> 00:14:21.330 in federal budgets, one might assume a sitting 00:14:21.330 --> 00:14:23.730 U .S. senator would be ranked near the very apex 00:14:23.730 --> 00:14:26.190 of this list. Like just below the president. 00:14:26.509 --> 00:14:29.950 Exactly. However, the reality of the order of 00:14:29.950 --> 00:14:32.889 precedence places them remarkably far down the 00:14:32.889 --> 00:14:35.580 chain. It's a fascinating measure of institutional 00:14:35.580 --> 00:14:38.580 status. Unsurprisingly, President Donald Trump 00:14:38.580 --> 00:14:41.240 holds the top position. He is followed by Vice 00:14:41.240 --> 00:14:44.220 President J .D. Vance. Then the governor of whatever 00:14:44.220 --> 00:14:46.559 state the event is being held in takes precedence. 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:48.759 Following them are House Speaker Mike Johnson 00:14:48.759 --> 00:14:51.220 and Chief Justice John Roberts. That initial 00:14:51.220 --> 00:14:53.759 tier completely aligns with general expectations 00:14:53.759 --> 00:14:57.100 of executive and judicial power. But from there, 00:14:57.299 --> 00:14:59.820 the current sitting senators get pushed significantly 00:14:59.820 --> 00:15:02.379 further down the line. They fall behind an extensive 00:15:02.379 --> 00:15:05.860 list. former officials. Every living former president 00:15:05.860 --> 00:15:08.440 outranks a sitting senator. That includes Bill 00:15:08.440 --> 00:15:11.480 Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Joe 00:15:11.480 --> 00:15:14.019 Biden. Furthermore, the former vice presidents 00:15:14.019 --> 00:15:17.379 Dan Quayle, Al Gore, Mike Pence and Kamala Harris 00:15:17.379 --> 00:15:21.100 all outrank a current sitting U .S. senator in 00:15:21.100 --> 00:15:24.110 this official diplomatic order. The list just 00:15:24.110 --> 00:15:26.629 continues to prioritize executive and diplomatic 00:15:26.629 --> 00:15:29.649 roles over current legislative power. United 00:15:29.649 --> 00:15:32.070 States ambassadors outrank sitting senators. 00:15:32.289 --> 00:15:35.389 The secretary of state, Marco Rubio, outranks 00:15:35.389 --> 00:15:37.629 them. The sitting associate justices of the Supreme 00:15:37.629 --> 00:15:41.049 Court outrank them. Even retired associate justices 00:15:41.049 --> 00:15:43.250 such as Anthony Kennedy and Stephen Breyer take 00:15:43.250 --> 00:15:46.509 precedence. And crucially, all the members of 00:15:46.509 --> 00:15:49.070 the president's cabinet. outrank a sitting U 00:15:49.070 --> 00:15:51.370 .S. senator. The structural irony there is remarkable. 00:15:51.669 --> 00:15:53.649 The secretary of agriculture outranks the very 00:15:53.649 --> 00:15:55.850 senators like Grassley and Ernst to actually 00:15:55.850 --> 00:15:58.309 write and pass the agricultural laws that the 00:15:58.309 --> 00:16:00.570 secretary is tasked with enforcing. There is 00:16:00.570 --> 00:16:03.129 exactly one structural exception for the Senate 00:16:03.129 --> 00:16:05.850 within this hierarchy. The Senate president pro 00:16:05.850 --> 00:16:08.450 tempore, currently Chuck Grassley, is granted 00:16:08.450 --> 00:16:10.549 a special exemption due to his specific constitutional 00:16:10.549 --> 00:16:13.429 role. He gets to jump the line. He does. He's 00:16:13.429 --> 00:16:15.370 placed immediately after the cabinet members. 00:16:15.830 --> 00:16:18.110 This positions him ahead of the rest of the regular 00:16:18.110 --> 00:16:20.309 senators who finally take their place in the 00:16:20.309 --> 00:16:22.690 order, just ahead of the state governors and 00:16:22.690 --> 00:16:24.009 the members of the House of Representatives. 00:16:24.250 --> 00:16:26.649 It offers a very revealing glimpse into how the 00:16:26.649 --> 00:16:28.990 federal government prioritizes institutional 00:16:28.990 --> 00:16:33.649 memory, executive authority, and diplomatic representation 00:16:33.649 --> 00:16:36.909 over raw legislative power, at least in matters 00:16:36.909 --> 00:16:39.830 of official protocol. Definitely. So taking a 00:16:39.830 --> 00:16:42.700 step back. Why should you care about all these 00:16:42.700 --> 00:16:44.980 procedural mechanics? Why does it matter that 00:16:44.980 --> 00:16:47.039 the Senate operates on these staggered classes, 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:50.220 relies on a constant rotation of special appointments, 00:16:50.500 --> 00:16:53.360 and is populated by everyone from astronauts 00:16:53.360 --> 00:16:55.639 and mixed martial artists to farmers and software 00:16:55.639 --> 00:16:58.200 developers? Fair question. It matters because 00:16:58.200 --> 00:17:01.039 every single federal law, every comprehensive 00:17:01.039 --> 00:17:03.919 budget, every confirmation of a federal judge 00:17:03.919 --> 00:17:06.759 who will rule on constitutional rights, and every 00:17:06.759 --> 00:17:09.559 major diplomatic treaty that shapes the country's 00:17:09.559 --> 00:17:12.440 trajectory passes through this incredibly specific 00:17:12.440 --> 00:17:16.880 filter, a filter comprised of exactly 100 human 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:19.720 beings. When you understand the varied professional 00:17:19.720 --> 00:17:21.779 backgrounds they bring from their home states 00:17:21.779 --> 00:17:24.480 and the fierce logistical battles fought just 00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:27.369 to get them into those seats, stop viewing the 00:17:27.369 --> 00:17:29.849 United States Senate as a faceless, monolithic 00:17:29.849 --> 00:17:33.230 institution. You recognize it as a dynamic collection 00:17:33.230 --> 00:17:36.809 of unique life experiences shaped by local state 00:17:36.809 --> 00:17:39.829 economies, all colliding in Washington to negotiate 00:17:39.829 --> 00:17:42.230 the future of the country. So what does this 00:17:42.230 --> 00:17:44.789 all mean? I believe it points us toward a fundamental 00:17:44.789 --> 00:17:46.730 tension at the heart of the Senate's design. 00:17:47.130 --> 00:17:49.069 And I want to leave you with a final thought 00:17:49.069 --> 00:17:51.630 to mull over, drawing on one last historical 00:17:51.630 --> 00:17:54.289 footnote from our source material regarding the 00:17:54.289 --> 00:17:56.900 strict rules of seniority. Okay. We analyzed 00:17:56.900 --> 00:17:59.920 how vital seniority is for securing those incredibly 00:17:59.920 --> 00:18:02.539 powerful committee chairmanships, dictating who 00:18:02.539 --> 00:18:05.339 sets the legislative agenda. Well, the document 00:18:05.339 --> 00:18:08.339 notes a fascinating maneuver from 2002. Republican 00:18:08.339 --> 00:18:10.940 Senator Phil Graham of Texas intentionally resigned 00:18:10.940 --> 00:18:13.319 his seat a few weeks before his term was scheduled 00:18:13.319 --> 00:18:16.119 to expire. Why would he do that? His calculated 00:18:16.119 --> 00:18:18.400 goal was to give his newly elected successor, 00:18:18.779 --> 00:18:22.180 fellow Republican John Cornyn, a mechanical head 00:18:22.180 --> 00:18:25.890 start. Graham wanted Cornyn to be sworn in early 00:18:25.890 --> 00:18:28.529 so he could accrue precious days of seniority 00:18:28.529 --> 00:18:31.190 over all the other incoming freshman senators 00:18:31.190 --> 00:18:33.890 in his class. Thereby giving him an edge in future 00:18:33.890 --> 00:18:36.990 committee assignments. Exactly. Ultimately, this 00:18:36.990 --> 00:18:39.549 specific maneuver was blocked by a 1980 Rules 00:18:39.549 --> 00:18:42.390 Committee policy, neutralizing the intended advantage. 00:18:42.950 --> 00:18:45.509 But it raises a vital question about the institution 00:18:45.509 --> 00:18:48.240 itself. We've spent this deep dive exploring 00:18:48.240 --> 00:18:50.799 the diverse real world resumes of these senators, 00:18:50.980 --> 00:18:53.960 the innovative, localized problem solving perspectives 00:18:53.960 --> 00:18:56.460 brought in by the tech developers, the physicians, 00:18:56.640 --> 00:18:58.640 the military officers and the agricultural leaders. 00:18:58.720 --> 00:19:01.210 Right. But in an institutional system where actual 00:19:01.210 --> 00:19:03.450 legislative power, committee influence and agenda 00:19:03.450 --> 00:19:05.650 setting are so heavily dictated by relentless 00:19:05.650 --> 00:19:07.950 rules of seniority and procedural maneuvering, 00:19:07.990 --> 00:19:11.009 does the Senate truly reward those fresh, specialized 00:19:11.009 --> 00:19:13.849 perspectives? Or does the rigid structure of 00:19:13.849 --> 00:19:16.329 the institution inherently favor those who simply 00:19:16.329 --> 00:19:18.230 possess the political endurance to remain there 00:19:18.230 --> 00:19:21.009 the longest? It's a profound structural question. 00:19:21.230 --> 00:19:24.329 Does the system elevate the best localized ideas 00:19:24.329 --> 00:19:26.890 or does it simply empower the individuals who 00:19:26.890 --> 00:19:29.589 refuse to leave? It is a dynamic. to watch closely 00:19:29.589 --> 00:19:31.769 the next time a major piece of legislation is 00:19:31.769 --> 00:19:34.529 being negotiated in committee. Thank you so much 00:19:34.529 --> 00:19:36.549 for joining us on this exploration of the human 00:19:36.549 --> 00:19:39.150 terrain of the United States Senate. Keep analyzing 00:19:39.150 --> 00:19:41.710 the structures of power around you, always read 00:19:41.710 --> 00:19:44.089 the footnotes, and we will catch you on the next 00:19:44.089 --> 00:19:44.670 deep dive.