Voting on DeMint’s earmark ban could go down to the wire

With DeMint now pushing for a two-year moratorium halting only Republican senators’ earmarks, the prospects are deeply uncertain that he’ll be able to win the support of the 24 Republicans necessary to put the plan in motion – particularly since he’s encountered resistance from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and others who backed his plan last March…

Supporters of the earmark ban say that McConnell and other senior senators are now caving because they sense that DeMint, along with Oklahoma Sen. Tom Coburn, have real momentum to take a harder line on pork-barrel spending – and only backed the plan in March knowing it was destined to be soundly rejected by the full Senate…

On Wednesday, there appeared to be 14 definite votes in favor of the moratorium – and 13 against it, according to those tracking the vote. Seven senators are leaning toward backing the measure, 11 appear as likely “no” votes. It’s far from clear where three others will come down.