Mary Landrieu’s fate a factor as Democrats mull Keystone vote

Now that the elections are almost all over, lawmakers return to Capitol Hill Wednesday — apparently in part to get down to some serious political jockeying over the Keystone XL pipeline.

Bloomberg reports that Senate Democrats are eyeing a way to force a vote on authorizing the Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline as a way to possibly boost the re-election chances of Sen. Mary Landrieu, Louisiana Democrat.

President Obama said last week that a permit review process should be allowed to “play out” for the pipeline — an issue that has put the White House in an awkward position between two groups traditionally supportive of Democrats: environmentalists and labor unions.

Public polling shows that Ms. Landrieu faces an uphill climb in her Dec. 6 runoff against GOP Rep. Bill Cassidy after neither candidate broke the required 50 percent in the Nov. 4 “jungle primary” for the seat.

For their part, Republicans have reportedly promised Mr. Cassidy a seat on the energy committee should he win the runoff.

Ms. Landrieu has made her clout as chairman of the committee — a title she will lose in a Republican-led Senate if she is re-elected — a central part of her campaign.

“I’m confident Dr. Cassidy will use this position to succeed where Sen. Landrieu failed,” presumptive Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Republican, said in a statement to the AP.