Why appointing Amy Klobuchar to a Biden Cabinet position could backfire on Democrats

Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) is reportedly under consideration for a number of Cabinet positions by President-elect Joe Biden, including attorney general and agriculture secretary, but there's a sense that could backfire on Democrats down the line.

As analysts point out Klobuchar represents a state that generally leans blue, but is still competitive, and may grow more so over the next few years. For a party trying to flip the Senate majority, losing Klobuchar — whom NBC News' Benjy Sarlin notes is "uniquely popular" and "wins big" in battleground areas within the state — could add another hurdle.

On the flip side, Commentary's Noah Rothman argues Republicans should signal they'd be happy to confirm the more moderate Klobuchar to any Cabinet position, opening an eventual path for an even wider Senate majority.

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Of course, this is all speculative, and Klobuchar may remain in the upper chamber once Biden settles into the White House. But even if she did enter the administration, Minnesota's Democratic Gov. Tim Walz would appoint someone from the party to take her place, where they would serve until 2024 when Klobuchar's term ends.