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As the health care vote looms, cap and trade continues to be an even bigger headache for the Democrats. The New York Times features a story on Sen. Jay Rockeller's efforts to negotiate a bill, even though the coal state Democrat is clearly down on the idea of cap and trade.

Even though he won't face the voters again until 2014, West Virginia Republicans are already going after Rockefeller on this issue. Why? Just ask Congressman Harry Teague (D-N.M.):

One Democrat most affected is New Mexico Democrat Harry Teague. His district, which McCain carried last year, is one of the largest oil and gas producing areas in the country, and Teague has faced angry crowds back home ever since voting yes.

Teague will face Republican Steve Pearce, who held the seat for three terms before giving it up to run unsuccessfully for the Senate last year.

Voting for a broad-based, arguably regressive tax increase going into an election year is bad enough. Trying to defend cap and trade in an energy-producing region of the country may rpove a bridge too far for some of the Democrats swept in by the anti-Bush tides of 2006 and 2008.