Let's be frank: Most Democrats who are perceived as "liberal" run from the phrase. Give credit to George H.W. Bush (and others) who demonized the word in 1988 during his run for president against Michael Dukakis. The L-word has since been replaced with "progressive," for those on the left side of the aisle.
But in politics, liberal and conservative are used as often as Democrat and Republican. Last week the National Journal published its annual rankings, once again listing all 435 members of the House of Representatives, as well as all 100 senators.
Kathy Castor is the only elected Democrat in Congress who represents the Tampa Bay area. Her votes in 2012 earned her the rank of the 90th most liberal member of Congress, which ties her with perennial conservative bête noire Nancy Pelosi. Still, Castor's ranking is a big comedown compared to 2010.