U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole also ranks poorly compared to the rest of her class.

Of the nine senators elected in 2002 still in office, Dole is ranked eighth in power rankings put together by the nonpartisan Congressional data company Knowlegis.

Here's the ranks of her classmates:

Lamar Alexander: 32nd
Lindsey Graham: 60th
Saxby Chambliss: 61st
Mark Pryor: 62nd
John Cornyn: 80th
Norm Coleman: 82nd
John Sununu: 89th
Elizabeth Dole: 93rd
Lisa Murkowski: 96th

Except for Pryor, all of Dole's 2002 classmates are Republicans.

Knowlegis cofounder Brad Fitch said that comparing senators to others who took office in the same year is the best way to gauge their power, since seniority gives senators more power. 

U.S. Rep. David Price has a new Iraq bill.

A week after the House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved his bill to bring private contractors under the federal criminal code, the Chapel Hill Democrat is about to introduce more legislation today tackling the Bush administration’s work in Iraq.

He wants to establish a "diplomatic surge" in Iraq, forcing President Bush to set up a special regional security envoy, write a new Middle East diplomatic plan and push the United Nations to get involved as well, Barb Barrett reports.

The bill is part of larger efforts by Democrats to force Bush's hand on narrow aspects of the war in Iraq. Congress' push to withdraw troops has largely failed, leaving Democrats searching for new ways to influence the administration’s work.

"The focus of the debate in Congress has been on ending the war, and rightly so," Price said in a statement. "But no matter what else happens, there is a great need for intensive diplomatic efforts to protect our interests in the region and give Iraqis the best chance to succeed as our troops begin to come home."

Correction: An earlier version of this post misstated Price's hometown.

More after the jump.

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