Senate candidates unite over arming Syrian rebels
By ERICA WERNER, Associated Press
Sep 18, 2014 2:15 AM CDT
This combo of file photos shows Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Colo., speaks during an event in Denver in a March 1, 2014 file photo, left, and then Colorado Democratic Senatorial candidate Mark Udall in a Oct. 16, 2008 file photo. Facing off in one of the most contested Senate races in the nation, Udall and...   (Associated Press)

WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing off in one of the most contested Senate races in the nation, Colorado Democratic Sen. Mark Udall and his Republican challenger, Rep. Cory Gardner, found something to agree on this week — giving President Barack Obama the authority he's asked for to train and arm Syrian rebels taking on brutal Islamic State militants.

Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley and Republican Joni Ernst, battling for the Senate in Iowa, also backed the Democratic president.

For those in tough races in November, opposing the commander in chief on a question of fighting terrorists posed risks aplenty. Polls show the public supports a forceful response against Islamic State fighters who've taken over portions of Iraq and Syria and beheaded two American journalists and a British aid worker.

Yet standing with an unpopular president seeking to broaden a dangerous conflict with no certain conclusion carries hazards of its own. Some lawmakers said Obama's strategy wouldn't succeed in defeating the militants, and there was little appetite among war-weary voters for an open-ended commitment or the involvement of American ground troops — something Obama promised would not happen.

Some Senate challengers avoided questions on the topic or criticized Obama's policy without saying how they'd vote. At least one endangered Democratic incumbent, Sen. Mark Begich of Alaska, planned to vote "no."

The legislation giving Obama authority to train and arm Syrian rebels passed the House 273-156 Wednesday and the Senate was expected to take it up Thursday. Senate leaders were combining the measure with must-pass legislation to fund the government into December instead of holding separate votes as happened in the House, which could help some lawmakers cast — and explain— a "yes" vote.

How candidates in eight top Senate races responded to the question:

ALASKA

Democratic Sen. Mark Begich announced plans to vote "no." ''We must have greater assurance that we aren't arming extremists who will eventually use the weapons against us. The U.S. can't continue to foot the bill of Middle East conflicts," he said in a statement.

Republican Dan Sullivan did not respond to requests for comment.

ARKANSAS

Earlier this summer, Democratic Sen. Mark Pryor pushed a committee vote to strip money to arm vetted Syrian rebels from a spending bill, saying at the time, "Our friends today could be our enemies tomorrow." His measure failed and his office didn't respond when asked how he would vote this time around.

GOP Rep. Tom Cotton, Pryor's opponent, voted "yes" Wednesday.

COLORADO

Republican Rep. Cory Gardner cast a "yes" vote Wednesday and Democratic Sen. Mark Udall announced plans to do the same. "We can and will defeat ISIL, but the fight on the ground must be waged by moderate opposition forces, which is why this proposal and its safeguards to ensure those forces are reliable and accountable is so important," Udall said in a statement. ISIL is an acronym referring to the Islamic State militants.

IOWA

Democratic Rep. Bruce Braley cast a "yes" vote Wednesday. Republican Joni Ernst said through a spokeswoman that she also would have supported the measure if in Congress.

"Joni is open to further arming those who can help us defeat ISIL on the ground, including Iraqi Kurds and some moderate Syrian rebels, if we are able to better ensure those arms don't end up in the hands of those that will threaten American interests or personnel," said spokeswoman Gretchen Hamel.

KENTUCKY

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell announced plans to support the president. "What the administration is doing is correct," he said this week.

His Democratic challenger, Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Grimes, said in a statement that she supports strong action to hunt down terrorists but "would only vote for arming and training Syrians if there is compelling evidence that they are trustworthy and effective." Her campaign said she would vote against the measure if it were held as a stand-alone vote, but since it was being combined with spending legislation to keep the government running she would vote "yes."

LOUISIANA

Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu's office did not respond to a request for comment. Landrieu in July voted in committee in favor of Pryor's amendment against arming Syrian rebels.

Republican challenger Rep. Bill Cassidy voted "yes" Wednesday.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, the Democratic incumbent, said she planned to vote "yes." ''I certainly intend to support the request for funding to train and equip vetted opposition groups in Syria. But I do believe that it would be a mistake for us in Congress not to have a debate about a long-term, broader strategy to go after ISIL," she said at a hearing this week.

Republican challenger Scott Brown did not respond to requests for comment through his campaign.

NORTH CAROLINA

Democratic Sen. Kay Hagan indicated plans to vote "yes." ''I am pleased that the strategy that the administration has developed for defeating ISIS does include the training and equipping the moderate Syrian opposition. This is something that I've pushed for over a year," she said at a hearing, using an alternative name for the militants.

A spokesman for her Republican opponent, Thom Tillis, said, "Thom supports eliminating ISIS, but President Obama and Sen. Hagan have failed to outline a strategy to do so." The statement did not say how Tillis would have voted.

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Associated Press writers Donna Cassata and David Espo in Washington and Thomas Beaumont in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.