Those in National's caucus with leadership aspirations might not feel that way.

Counting Hagan and Pryor only leaves the pro-control caucus with 55 votes.

Democrats and independents that caucus with them are defending 26 seats.

All of the senators supporting the deal are Democrats or independents who caucus with them.

When they had to, Bonanno family members made the trip to the Poconos to caucus with Massino.

Sanders is not even a registered Democrat, although he does caucus with the Democrats in the Senate.

Orman has pledged to caucus with the party that wins a Senate majority, helping him draw bipartisan support.

Two Independents who caucus with the Democrats, Vermont's Bernie Sanders and Maine's Angus King, will also take part.

They brought the list of senators supporting the deal to 37, all Democrats or independents who caucus with them.

I'll lick you in that caucus with one hand while I'm licking that dirty bunch of rebels with the other.

King ran as an independent, but he is expected to caucus with Democrats in what would amount to a Democratic pick-up.

But the 48 senators who caucus with the Democrats can only defeat him if they are able to convince three Republicans.

Taking away these six leaves the pro-control caucus with 53 votes in the Senate, at most -even with the four Republicans.

It now holds 44 of the 100 seats in the Senate; two independents also caucus with the Democrats.

In the Senate, 23 Democrats -and two independents who caucus with them -are up for re-election, compared with just eight Republicans.

Republicans currently have 54 seats, while Democrats effectively control 46, including those of two independents that caucus with them.