Will Senate lose its last remaining pragmatists?

Asked to imagine the US Senate without Sen. Susan Collins (R) of Maine, Sen. Chris Coons (D) of Delaware tilts his head back and places his hand on his chest – a gesture of both respect and sadness. “The Senate loses something big when it loses members who have been here a long time – who have great sense, who are well liked and widely respected, and who want to get things done,” he says.

He was speaking not only about Senator Collins, who is expected to announce this week whether she will run for governor of her home state, but also about retiring Sen. Bob Corker (R) of Tennessee, the plain-speaking chairman of