Point to remember: Before 2011 some (or many) of those Democrats were right-wing incumbents left over from ideological sorting. Now they've been replaced by moderates or progressives depending on geography.

Why is RNS pushing this line on Kirk so fervently?

Notwithstanding that he wasn't who you say he was and he wasn't doing what you say he was doing, why are you so deeply enthralled?

Of course I'm concerned about that. I'm more concerned about the filibuster, which has always benefitted reactionaries and always will. The combination of rural overrepresentation and the filibuster means we will *never* have progress in this country so long as minority rule prevails

To answer your question: Yes.

Killing the filibuster is far more important than some GOP ephemera.