Waxman eyes 60 Senate seats

DENVER – It’s not that Henry Waxman (D-Los Angeles), the powerful chair of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, doesn’t want to expand the Democrats’ majority in the House.

He just thinks picking up seats in the Senate is more important.

“I think it would give us a much more comfortable margin in the House and that will be helpful in getting legislation through,” said Waxman when asked of the possibility of picking up 15 seats in the chamber. Today, the party holds a 37-seat majority over Republicans in the House and Washington odds makers estimate that Democrats will pick up another 12 to 17 seats this fall.

But Waxman, who has occupied his Los Angeles-area seat for over 30 years, said that obtaining a filibuster-proof majority of 60 seats in the Senate would do even more to strengthen the Party’s hand.

“The most significant election would be to get close to 60 seats to overcome a filibuster,” he said.

Waxman is here to attend the Democratic National Convention.