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Some of the most influential senators in the new Congress are neither in the majority nor among the longest-serving. They dont show up on the Sunday-morning talk shows, and they arent talking about running for president in 2016.

Instead, theyre a pack of Democrats from mostly smaller, rural states who are inclined to work with Republicans on legislation President Obama doesnt support. They may even be willing to help the GOP override his vetoes.

Some of them support building the Keystone XL oil pipeline and are expected to be active as the Senate begins to debate the issue this week. Others want Congress to pass tougher sanctions against Iran, and all are open to making changes to Obamas health-care law. All three issues have drawn veto threats from the White House in recent days.

One of the biggest unanswered questions about the week-old Congress is whether the new Republican majority will be able to overcome Capitol Hills culture of stifling partisanship and cultivate enough Democratic support to challenge Obama.

These moderate Democrats say they will cooperate if Republicans dont use the Senate floor to score political points as Democrats have done over the past several years. They have big expectations for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who will need to keep his larger conference unified while sustaining his promise to allow a more open and nonpartisan debate process.

Sen. Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), who is firmly planted in the middle of both parties, said hell support bills that both Republicans and Democrats who sit down and talk to each other think will make things better for us. I think youll see that extreme legislation whether right or left is going to go nowhere.

The moderates influence could get an early test this week as the Senate begins debating the Keystone pipeline again. Despite an Obama veto threat, the House voted Friday to authorize the long-delayed project, with the support of 28 moderate Democrats. McConnell has promised a Keystone debate of several days, with time set aside to debate proposed amendments from both parties. Passage of those amendments likely will rest with moderate Democrats.

There isnt any particular issue that cries out for bipartisanship all of the issues do, said Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), who strongly supports the Keystone project. The challenges that we will have is making sure that we dont once again spiral into the thinking that its okay to delay decisions, that its okay not to do the work of the Senate.

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) spent his first eight years in the Senate confined to the minority and sounded envious of the new influence of some Democrats.

When youre in the majority and youre rank-and-file, youre taken for granted, he said in a recent interview. When youre in the minority, if youre somewhat interested in advancing our nation, you actually end up being paid far more attention than if youre in the majority.

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A small band of moderate Democrats could be key to the GOP Senates success