Hate her or love her, freshman Senator Claire McCaskill has had an impressive six months as a member of the “world’s most deliberative body.” Defeating a Republican incumbent in a red leaning state – albeit in a bad year for Republicans – McCaskill is clearly demonstrating that she understands that in order to keep her seat, she cannot go to Washington as a flaming left winger.

Taking the opposite tact of her predecessor Jim Talent, McCaskill has taken every opportunity she can to get in front of a camera or microphone, and have her name in print. We’ve witnessed Sen. McCaskill as a guest on the Sunday morning talk shows since her election, and she has appeared several times on MSNBC and Fox during the week discussing current issues. She’s even being praised by the right wing blogosphere for her recent votes on Iraq and immigration. From 24th State:

“I didn’t vote for her, but I’m proud to say that Senator Claire McCaskill is doing the state of Missouri proud, refusing to ask for a single piece of pork in this year’s budget. The only other Senator to be so clean was John McCain, and he’s running for President, so I’m going to say that Claire wins that run-off, as she is a new senator with 5 long years to go before she has to face re-election.

I didn’t vote for her, but let me be the first second blogger to stand up and thank the senator from the great State of Missouri.”

Rabid right winger Jamie Allman at Bull Mooser called McCaskill a “hero” for voting against the immigration bill last week. Only time will tell if Claire’s “conservativeness” stays with her for her full term, but if it does, she will be hard to defeat in 2012.

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