The Hill, a newspaper written for and about Congress, asked every member of the Senate “which member of the opposing party they most enjoyed partnering with on legislation.” They also asked, on a not-for-attribution basis, which member of the opposing party they least enjoyed partnering with on legislation.

For his part, U.S. Sen. Jeff Bingaman told the Hill, “I’ve worked very well with Lamar [Alexander of Tennessee]. We have some of the same interests. We worked on the America Competes Act in the last Congress.”

His fellow New Mexico Democrat, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, who is just beginning his Senate career after a decade in the House, said, “The members I feel comfortable working with are John Thune [of South Dakota] — I’ve traveled with him to Iraq, so I’ve got a good relationship with him. Sen. [John] McCain, who I’m working with on a couple of things. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe [both of Maine]. I think they all desire to reach out to the other side.”

For most, the ones who were perceived to be the most bipartisan were also those they worked most closely with; those who serve on the same committees.

U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), the ranking member on the Senate Energy Natural Resources Committee which Bingaman chairs, said Bingaman “is wonderful to work with.” She cited their work together “on an initiative regarding the Strategic Petroleum Reserve” and how Bingaman brings in experts to help craft legislation instead of just writing it himself.

“We may come to different conclusions at the end of the day, but he involves me in the process and I’m part of it,” Murkowski said. “It’s totally great.”

Alexander also said he enjoyed working with Bingaman, with whom he worked with on the America Competes Act.

Alexander added, “We created a bipartisan breakfast which means almost every Tuesday morning, and the reason we worked together is the same thing: We had the same goal, to create an opportunity for senators to get together across party lines on a regular basis.”

Overall, U.S. Sen.Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts is the easiest Democrat to work with and U.S. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine is the easiest Republican to work with by members on the other side of the aisle. Alternatively, U.S. Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Jim Bunning (R-KY) were the most partisan and hardest to work with by members of the other party.

And Bunning probably showed why with his answer to Roll Call:

“No.”