Lyndon Johnson sought control over all sources of leverage over senators and could grant or withhold campaign money, committee seats, and passage of bills important to their states.

“Kennedy. The real political genius of Lyndon Johnson was identifying and then gaining control over every possible source of leverage over his colleagues.”

“Whatever a senator needed to survive, whether that was money, committee seats, or the passage of bills that mattered to his home state, Johnson could give and Johnson could withhold.”