“I don’t want to jinx myself,” I told the reporter.

He had asked me to comment off the record about our chances to pass death penalty repeal in the House.

We expect the bill will pass the Senate this week, but it hasn’t yet.

Hence my reluctance.

But if/when the bill gets to the House, the vote in the Judiciary Committee could come swiftly.

I now have a list of the 14 “Yes” votes in the committee – the members who have committed to vote for repeal.

I will ask each of them to reaffirm their position and to vote against any amendments that might be offered.

They would kill the bill.