The National Journal’s ranking of members of Congress by ideology has already played a bit of a role in this year’s election, as Republicans have pointed to the fact that Barack Obama was ranked the most liberal senator in 2007. It’s worth noting that Joe Biden was ranked third most liberal.

Sheldon Whitehouse, the freshman senator from Rhode Island, was second; and Bernie Sanders, the self-described socialist independent from Vermont, placed fourth, after both Obama and Biden.