Eye on 2010, Texas senator ready to challenge Dems

John Cornyn, the conservative Republican senator from Texas, played the spoilsport amid all the celebrations for President Barack Obama and the Democrats.

Hours before Obama was sworn in on Tuesday, Cornyn gummed up plans for a speedy Senate vote confirming Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state, saying he still had concerns about foreign donations made to a foundation headed by Clinton's husband, former President Bill Clinton.

He delayed the inevitable a day. Clinton won Senate approval by a vote of 94-2, with Cornyn's support.

The lawyer, former judge and Texas attorney general insisted he wanted more debate about the donations, saying "transparency transcends partisan politics and the American people deserve to know more." But Cornyn also is the new head of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which is responsible for drumming up cash for what will be tough Senate elections next year for the GOP. Challenging a Clinton - no favorite of the Republican base - certainly couldn't hurt.

"What he did was raise the flag the senatorial committee was going to be watching," said Republican strategist Rich Galen.

Cornyn, 56, cruised to re-election last November. During his first term, he earned a reputation as a loyal defender of President George W. Bush and his administration.

With Bush gone, Cornyn has become something of a GOP guard dog, looking to shred Democrats' election ambitions while raising money for 2010 candidates. Other Senate Republicans will join him in the effort, but it is Cornyn who must ensure the Republican message resonates with his party's donors, and he contends he's found the right tone.

"The public is less tolerant of sort of the harshness and angry tone they've seen out of Washington," Cornyn said. "I think it's entirely appropriate to talk about differences in a civil and dignified way ... and then let's let the people decide."

Some say Cornyn's moderate demeanor belies a conservative pitbull underneath.

Immigration advocate Frank Sharry said he and other advocates figured Cornyn would be an ally in their push for immigration reform. Instead, he became one of their greatest obstacles, introducing his own bill in 2005 to counter one backed by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., that had an eventual path to citizenship for some illegal immigrants.

"I suspect he's going to have a hard time again appearing moderate, while trying to raise money from the right. He talks nice, while sharpening the knife for your back. We are not going to be fooled again," said Sharry, president of America's Voice, a pro-immigration group.

Republicans say they face an uphill battle to regain ground in the Senate. The party has 41 seats to the Democrats' 58, with the Minnesota race still to be decided.

Two days into the new year, Cornyn warned Democrats he would block any attempt to seat Al Franken as Minnesota senator until his Republican rival exhausted all his legal options. He has been keeping up the drumbeat.

"I didn't come to the Senate to be a wallflower and the only tools you really have available in the Senate are your voice and your vote," Cornyn said.

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On the Net: National Republican Senatorial Committee: http://www.nrsc.org