“Environmental groups are warning President Obama that his liberal base might stay home on Election Day if he approves the Keystone XL oil pipeline,” The Hill reports.  

“Proponents of the $5.4 billion Canada-to-Texas pipeline say their case is buoyed by the State Department’s environmental analysis of the project, which was released to great fanfare last week.”  

“But critics say approval of the project could sow liberal discontent and hurt Democratic chances in 2014 — including a host of contests that will likely decide who controls the Senate during the final years of the Obama White House.”  

Jill Lawrence : “The stakes are not presidential this year, and the pipeline would be built in four states that seldom vote Democratic. Yet there is broad symbolism to the issue as well as a competitive Senate race in Montana that could determine which party controls the Senate. Environmental advocates will be understandably upset if the administration approves the pipeline. But Obama is addressing their concerns in ways that have far more impact than blocking Keystone would.”