1. Sen. Jim Inhofe (R.-Okla.)
Age: 70
Third term. Won 57% of vote in ’02. Seat up in ’08.
ACU rating: 97%
Conservative Credentials: An unabashed conservative, he’s unafraid to speak his mind. He’s an advocate for drilling in ANWR and harsh critic of the Endangered Species Act.
2. Sen. Tom Coburn (R.-Okla.)
Age: 57
First term. Won 53% of vote in ’04. Seat up in ’10.
ACU rating: 97%
Conservative Credentials: An obstetrician by trade, he’s a fearless opponent of abortion. Coburn isn’t afraid to ruffle feathers in the Senate—most notably by attacking pork-laden spending bills.
3. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R.-Ala.)
Age: 58
Second term. Won 59% of vote in ’02. Seat up in ’08.
ACU rating: 98%
Conservative Credentials: Spurned by the Senate for a federal judgeship in 1985, he won his seat in ’96. He supports eliminating earmarks in appropriations bills and advocates for conservative judicial nominees.
4. Sen. Jon Kyl (R.-Ariz.)
Age: 63
Second term. Won 79% of vote in ’00. Seat up in ’06.
ACU rating: 97%
Conservative Credentials: He chairs the Republican Policy Committee. Kyl was interviewed for the Vice President spot in 2000. He supports missile defense and opposes the International Criminal Court.
5. Sen. Sam Brownback (R.-Kan.)
Age: 49
Third term. Won 69% of vote in ’04. Seat up in ’10.
ACU rating: 94%
Conservative Credentials: The Senate’s top pro-lifer is often rumored for a presidential run in ’08. He has tried to ban human cloning and opposes federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research.
6. Sen. Wayne Allard (R.-Colo.)
Age: 61
Second term. Won 51% of vote in ’02. Seat up in ’08.
ACU rating: 96%
Conservative Credentials: He is strong on national defense and was the lead Senate sponsor of the Federal Marriage Amendment. He takes pride in his returning $2.7 million in office funds to the Treasury.
7. Sen. Jim DeMint (R.-S.C.)
Age: 54
First term. Won 54% of vote in ’04. Seat up in ’10.
ACU rating: 98%
Conservative Credentials: He’s a leading supporter of Social Security personal retirement accounts. In the House, he was a consistent vote for free-trade policies. He pushed for a bigger tax cut in 2001.
8. Sen. John Sununu (R.-N.H.)
Age: 41
First term. Won 51% of vote in ’02. Seat up in ’08.
ACU rating: 95%
Conservative Credentials: His Social Security reform bill seeks spending cuts to pay for personal accouts. Sununu was one of nine Senate Republicans to vote against the Medicare prescription drug plan.
9. Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R.-Ga.)
Age: 61
First term. Won 53% of vote in ’02. Seat up in ’08.
ACU rating: 94%
Conservative Credentials: He withstood liberal attacks to beat then-Sen. Max Cleland, a Vietnam vet. Chambliss is a supporter of national defense and backs a national sales tax.
10. Sen. George Allen (R.-Va.)
Age: 53
First term. Won 52% of vote in ’00. Seat up in ’06.
ACU rating: 91%
Conservative Credentials: Frequently mentioned as a frontrunner for the 2008 GOP presidential nomination, Allen, a former Virginia governor, is solid on gun rights, the environment and taxes.
