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Senate Democrats blocked a move Tuesday to compel construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, dealing a sharp loss to one of their own, Sen. Mary Landrieu (La.), who had pinned her chances for reelection on approval of the measure.

The vote was a victory for environmental activists who have turned defeat of the pipeline into one of the central symbolic causes of their movement. But Republicans, who will take majority control of the Senate in the next Congress, vowed to return to the fight next year.

On a 59 to 41 roll call, Landrieus campaign fell one vote shy of passing legislation meant to force President Obama to approve the nearly 1,700-mile, $7.6billion project, which would deliver 830,000 barrels of oil a day from western Canada to the American heartland. With just 14 Democrats backing it, Landrieus bill fell victim to a filibuster by her own party. All 45 Republicans voted for the measure.

In rejecting the bill, the Senate has granted Obama a temporary reprieve from a difficult decision: whether to side with the environmentalists who have been his staunch allies or with many moderate Democrats who hope to use the issue to win over swing voters.

Already six years in the making, the Keystone fight had become a final rallying cry for Landrieu, a three-term senator facing a runoff election Dec. 6. With her Keystone campaign, she placed a political bet on demonstrating both her clout in Washington and her independence from a very unpopular Obama.

In a tight vote, the Senate rejected the Keystone XL pipeline Tuesday evening, dealing a serious blow to the reelection efforts of Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.). (AP)

She already faced a steep climb in a conservative state dominated by energy interests, and her task is now even tougher; if she loses next month, Republicans will hold a majority with 54 seats come January, up from their current 45-seat caucus.

This is for Americans, for an American middle class, Landrieu pleaded Tuesday evening, moments before the vote, arguing that jobs related to the pipeline would go to rural American communities struggling in the economic recovery. The time to act is now.

She then thanked her Democratic colleagues who supported her, including three who lost their elections this month. Once the roll call started, Landrieu stood mostly by herself in the chamber but at one point shared a hug with Sen. Kay Hagan (D-N.C.), one of the defeated incumbents.

Supporters argue that the new pipeline would lead to more efficient delivery of oil into domestic markets, helping secure a reliable source of energy, boosting the national economy and creating jobs tied to the pipelines construction. Opponents say it would facilitate the harvesting of oil from the environmentally dirty tar sands in Canada, leading to health risks, and would come online as domestic oil production is already booming.

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Democrats block Keystone pipeline, but GOP vows new fight when it takes over

Undeterred by a dismal election that shrank the party's ranks in the House to their lowest level since World War II, Nancy Pelosi is building a path back to power for Democrats in Congress that relies heavily on California clout.

Pelosi won a unanimous vote Tuesday to serve again as the House Democratic leader, a result that belied private sentiment among some that the party needs a shake-up in its leadership ranks.

But Pelosi has raised more money for House Democrats than other elected leaders, including President Obama, and she makes no secret of her plan to tap the state's wealthy donor base and Democratic political tilt to propel her House minority back into the majority again.

"My thing is, I'm here on a mission to get something done," Pelosi, 74, said in an interview steps from the House floor. "But I also know that I bring with me a great deal of resources intellectual, political and financial to our opportunity to do that, to win."

Pelosi offered a brief lesson in California congressional history: The state's delegation was split evenly between Democrats and Republicans when she began her climb into leadership more than a decade ago.

After Democrats swept the 2006 elections midway through President George W. Bush's second term, Pelosi made history by becoming the first woman to be speaker of the House.

Now, despite the party's electoral losses across the nation in November, Democrats in California are actually poised to gain another congressional seat this year to make the Democratic advantage 39 to 14 in California. That comes after Bakersfield Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the new Republican majority leader, tried unsuccessfully to make greater gains for his party on her turf.

"Thirty-nine members from one state that's more than some of the regions that we cover, much less any one state," said Pelosi, who in January will also add the honorary title of dean of California's delegation as its most senior member. "I take great pride in the fact that when we won the House in 2006, it all began in California."

But Pelosi's pride in what has been called the "Golden lining" of an otherwise dismal election performance a reference to the electoral inroads made in the Golden State may only go so far in buttressing her standing in the caucus.

The House, like the Senate, will be run next year by politicians old enough to receive Social Security and who have been in Washington for decades. House Speaker John A. Boehner of Ohio, 65, and Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, 72, the Republican leaders, draw on their career experience in Congress and ability to navigate through party rifts to remain in leadership.

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Nancy Pelosi wields California Democrats' clout in bid to regain House

In a news conference Tuesday, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) reminisced about 2006, when Democrats took control of both the House and Senate during President George W. Bush's last term. (AP)

This item has been updated.

House Democrats reelected Nancy Pelosi as minority leader Tuesday morning.

Despite their diminished ranks and some grumblings about her handling of the caucus's midterm election strategy, Democrats reelected her for two more years, according to a senior aide in the room.

There were "no nays audible in room," the aide said.

But at least one incoming Democratic congresswoman disputes that report. Rep.-elect Gwen Graham (D-Fla.), who campaigned on a promise not to vote for Pelosi as party leader, told the Tampa Bay Times on Tuesday that she didn't vote for Pelosi. A Graham aide said his boss did vote no, "It was just drowned out by the other people voting."

All other senior Democratic leaders, Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (Md.), Assistant Leader James Clyburn (D-S.C.) and Caucus Chairman Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.), also were reelected.

Ahead of the vote on Monday, Pelosi filled out her leadership team by appointing Rep. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.) to lead the Democratic Congressional Committee; tapped the former DCCC chairman, Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.) for a new policy and communications role; and named two close friends, Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) and Donna Edwards (D-Md.) to lead the powerful steering and policy committee, which will help place members on key committees.

As she did so, Pelosi signaled in an interview with The Washington Post that she intends to stick around.

Im the one that brung everyone to the party by winning the House in the first place, she said in the interview.

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House Democrats reelect Nancy Pelosi their leader

Democrats Crushed In Midterms, But Progressive Ideals Prosper (Pt. 2/2)
Ring of Fire #39;s Sam Seder and author Cliff Schecter discuss the crushing defeat that Democrats suffered during last week #39;s elections, and how progressive idea...

By: Ring of Fire Radio

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Democrats Crushed In Midterms, But Progressive Ideals Prosper (Pt. 2/2) - Video

Democrats Loved Jonathan Gruber Before They Forgot Who He Was | SUPERcuts! #127
Democrats were fond of Obamacare architect Jonathan Gruber. Then he became political poison and now amnesia seems to be settling in about his role in the ACA.

By: Washington Free Beacon

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Democrats Loved Jonathan Gruber Before They Forgot Who He Was | SUPERcuts! #127 - Video