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Boehner, Schumer Named Chambers’ MVPs

The voters have spoken, and the most important Member of the 110th Congress was … House Minority Leader John Boehner? In a stunning upset, the opposition leader in the chamber that grants the minority little power took home two awards in Roll Call’s 110th Congress Awards.

The Ohio Republican was not only named Most Valuable Player (House division) — he also captured the Fireman award for his efforts to preserve an Iraq War bill that did not contain a timeline for troop withdrawal.

Roll Call made the nominations for these awards, but voting was done by readers of Roll Call and Congress.org (5,664 votes cast). Following are the complete results.

Most Valuable Player (House)



Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) 21.4%
Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) 16.4%
Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) 16.0%
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) 13.6%
Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) 12.4%
Other 20.1%

Write-in candidates receiving at least 1%: Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), 3.9%; Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.), 1.9%; Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio), 1.3%

Most Valuable Player (Senate)



Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) 24.4%
Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) 20.3%
Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) 16.2%
Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) 13.3%
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) 6.0%
Other 19.8%

Write-in candidates receiving at least 1%: Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), 1.1%; Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), 1.1%; Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), 1.0.%; Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), 1.0%

Rookie of the Year (House)



Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) 37.4%
Rep. Paul Hodes (D-N.H.) 15.4%
Rep. Jason Altmire (D-Pa.) 9.6%
Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) 8.1%
Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.) 7.9%
Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) 7.7%
Other 13.9%


Write-in candidates receiving at least 1%: Rep. Zack Space (D-Ohio), 1.2%

Rookie of the Year (Senate)



Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) 32.9%
Sen. Jim Webb (D-Va.) 30.7%
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) 21.5%
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) 7.4%
Other 7.6%

Write-in candidates receiving at least 1%: none

Fireman of the Congress (Best Legislative Save)



Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio), Iraq War bill without timeline 29.2%
Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), Medicare doctor’s fix 27.1%
Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), housing 12.1%
Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), financial bailout 10.9%
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), FISA 8.2%
Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), financial bailout 5.2%
Other 7.3%


Write-in candidates receiving at least 1%: Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), 1.3% for a variety of legislative causes

Lifetime Achievement Award



Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) 44.6%
Sen. Robert Byrd (D-W.Va.) 15.6%
Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) 12.8%
Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.) 5.6%
Rep. John Conyers (D-Mich.) 3.1%
Other 18.3%

Write-in candidates receiving at least 1%: Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), 12.3%; Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), 11.9%

Squeaky Wheel Award



Sen. Joe Lieberman (ID-Conn.) 34.9%
Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) 23.8%
Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) 11.9%
Rep. Barbara Lee (D-Calif.) 9.2%
Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-Calif.) 7.3%
Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.) 4.4%
Other 8.5%


Write-in candidates receiving at least 1%: Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), 1.1%

Biggest Macaca Moment (A Potentially Game-Changing Statement)



Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), “I’m very concerned that [Barack Obama] may have anti-American views.” 30.4%
Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.), “There’s no question Western Pennsylvania’s a racist area.” 24.2%
Sen. Joseph Biden (D-Del.), “You’ve got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy.” 13.8%
Rep. Tim Mahoney (D-Fla.), “Let me just be explicit that I am admitting to it … to having affairs. My personal behavior has been unacceptable. … I don’t know what other women are going to come out.” 12.3%
Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho), “I’m a fairly wide guy.” 12.2%
Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), “This was a very serious sin in my past for which I am, of course, completely responsible.” 2.8%


Write-in candidates receiving at least 1%: none

Most Ethically Challenged Member of Congress



Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) 34.7%
Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) 19.6%
Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) 13.0%
Rep. John Murtha (D-Pa.) 11.9%
Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska) 2.9%
Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.) 2.2%
Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.) 2.1%
Rep. Tom Feeney (R-Fla.) 2.0%
Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa.) 1.0%
Other 10.5%


Write-in candidates receiving at least 1%: Everyone, 2.1%; Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), 1.9%; Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), 1.3%

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