There's just no compelling reason why you'd want to vote against him. He's a very popular senator in this state.

I still subscribe to that. You have to find a compelling reason in each individual race why you would kick out a particular incumbent.

I loved that little guy. He was a marvelous guy. I've known him a long, long time, probably back to the late 1960s, and I always knew him to be a first-class, gracious guy. He was also as good a referee as there was.

Anytime that you are in the position of being minority leader, you have to wear a certain hat and be the devil's advocate. In the final analysis, he's still very strong. I still think he's the strongest U.S. senator in the state's history.