Might Republican Weakness Doom Air Force Airbus Deal?

I’ve previously blogged about how Alabama was a big winner when the Air Force passed over Boeing, awarding its tanker contracts to an Airbus – Northrop Grumman consortium.  Now it seems that the GAO is throwing that deal into question.  And I can’t help but wonder if one of the reasons for the shift is the waning power of the Republican party – and by extension, Alabama, which is represented by Republican Senators Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby.  Instead, Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray – Democrats from the State of Washington – may finally bring home the bacon on this deal.  It’s becoming clearer and clearer that the Democrats are going to have significant control of both Houses by 2009 and I have to think the Air Force will be cognizant of this as they decide how to proceed on the contract.