by Frank James
Senators voted 64-35 to reconsider the immigration-reform bill that looked dead only a few weeks ago but is not enjoying a Lazarus-like resurrection.
While a few Democrats like Sens. Byron Dorgan of North Dakota and Matt Baucus of Montana voted against reconsidering the controversial legislation, the vast majority of Democrats and enough Republicans banded together to push the vote beyond the 60 needed to take up the bill again.
Today’s crucial test vote represents a victory for the president at a time when there has been precious little to celebrate.
But the bill isn’t out of the woods yet since deliberations could still break down in the next few days during the debate that will take place in the Senate, a debate in which the Senate will use arcane procedures in an attempt to get the bill to a final-passage vote on Friday.