Without the former, the Democratic minority could not sustain a filibuster. Without the latter, the Republican majority could not pass the nuclear option.
So why did the Gang of 14 not re-emerge in 2013? For one thing, nine of its members have left the Senate, either through death (Byrd, Inouye), retirement (Lieberman, Nelson, Warner, Snowe), appointment to other office (Salazar), or defeat (Chafee, DeWine). Only the bolded names are left.
Democrats
- Robert Byrd (West Virginia) -- died June 28, 2010
- Daniel Inouye (Hawaii) -- died December 17, 2012
- Mary Landrieu (Louisiana)
- Joseph Lieberman (Connecticut) -- did not seek reelection in 2012
- Ben Nelson (Nebraska) -- did not seek reelection in 2012
- Mark Pryor (Arkansas)
- Ken Salazar (Colorado) -- resigned in 2009 to become Secretary of Interior
Republicans
- Lincoln Chafee (Rhode Island) -- defeated for reelection in 2006
- Susan Collins (Maine)
- Mike DeWine (Ohio) -- defeated for reelection in 2006
- Lindsey Graham (South Carolina)
- John McCain (Arizona)
- John Warner (Virginia) -- did not seek reelection in 2008
- Olympia Snowe (Maine) -- did not seek reelection in 2012