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Meet the Press host Chuck Todd recently asked the media roundtable: Hillary Clinton would love to see the Senate in Republican hands, going into 2016, wouldnt she? Politico editor Jim VandeHei replied, I think a lot of Democrats would. Mr. VandeHei went on to say that some Democrats would love for senators such as Marco Rubio or Rand Paulto own the dysfunction that would surely follow should Republicans take control of the Senate in November.

I sure hope that no one in Mrs. Clintons orbit, or at the White House, thinks like this. On a superficial level the reasoning sounds right, but the reality is far different.

Imagine what the Benghazi investigations would look like under a Senate Armed Service Committee chaired by Sen. John McCain, with an assist from Sen. Lindsey Graham. With the larger media megaphone and bigger, more experienced professional policy staff that come with control of a Senate committee, things would be much better run and more effective than the circus-like atmosphere that Rep. Darrell Issa specializes in. And in conjunction with the select committee that Rep. Trey Gowdy is heading, its safe to assume that this issue isnt going away anytime soon.

Now consider that on Sunday 400,000 people marched in support of climate change legislation. If the Senate flips in the midterms, a renowned climate-change denier would chair the Committee on Environment and Public Works. And you can bet your last dollar that an investigation of why the White House hasnt approved the Keystone pipeline would be at the top of his agenda and that the former secretary of state would be dragged into that inquiry as well.

Democrats should be careful about what they wish for. If Republicans take over the Senate, Democrats could wash their hands of any responsibility for legislating, but Republicans would still have the power to subpoenaand would not be afraid to use it.

Jim Manley, director of the communications practice at QGA Public Affairs, is a former aide to Sens.Harry ReidandEdward Kennedy.He is on Twitter:@jamespmanley.

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3 Reasons for Democrats to Worry If Republicans Win the Senate