Mike Mulcahy is guest-hosting Midday this week. So MPR's online news editor, Bob Collins, is guest-writing the Capitol Letter

If there's one thing Tuesday's House floor debate on the House budget resolution shows, it's that an often unrecognized reason for GOP success at the Capitol is the GOP caucus is very disciplined; more disciplined than the DFL.

Key to the debate, of course, was the Dorman-Greiling amendment, which appeared to be the first call for a tax increase from a Republican (Dorman)when it was unveiled a couple of weeks ago. It also suggested a hint of bipartisanship in the debate over the funding of education.

After just a few minutes of the floor debate it was clear that this was going to be a battle to see who could keep their caucus members in line. In the end, Republicans lost only Dorman and Rep. Ron Erhardt of Edina in the vote on the amendment, and only Dorman in the vote on the entire resolution.

House Minority Leader Matt Entenza was unable to keep 6 DFLers from voting with the Republican majority.

The debate (Watch it here. It starts about 13 minutes in) also showed how influential the next election is at the Capitol these days. Rep. Jim Knoblach, a candidate for Congress in the 6th District, warned lawmakers that a vote to increase state spending would be used by political opponents in November 2006. "I can see the postcards now. 'Representative blank voted to allow an increase in state taxes.' This is your chance, members. Sign up for that postcard today," he said.

From the number of voice votes (rather than recorded roll call votes) on major issues in committee these days (The definition of marriage and smoking ban bills come to mind) suggest that the "paper trail" of votes is a senstive subject to lawmakers right now.