Here’s the take of the former RNC chairman, now a lobbyist who’s been working for the National Republican Senatorial Committee on the issue: “I think the deal’s fine. It’s a deal that gets our judges an up-or-down vote. I would rather have had the vote today on the constitutional option and be done with it.” He notes that DeWine and Graham both say that they are willing to change the rules if necessary in the future: “I’m glad they’ve been clear that they just holstered their weapons, they haven’t surrendered them.”

“I think the Democrats have made clear that philosophical disagreement does not constitute an extraordinary circumstance. I think the question is what did Reid get?”

Whichever party “won” from the deal, it’s pretty clear that the Republicans have lost the spin war over it. But ultimately that may not matter all that much.