SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Senate Democrats pushed ahead Wednesday night with a three-year freeze on electric rates, raising the possibility of an end to months of political deadlock over how to help consumers with soaring bills.

The Senate Executive Committee voted 7-3 along partisan lines for the measure that would roll back electric rates to last year’s levels and freeze them for three years for both ComEd and Ameren customers.

The plan moves to the full Senate. If approved there, it would go to Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s desk. Blagojevich has repeatedly pledged to sign a rate freeze into law.

But the narrow vote by the committee – it needed all seven votes to pass – and warnings from several senators that they’re not convinced a rate freeze is the best approach make its fate unclear.

“It’s a message,” said Sen. James DeLeo, D-Chicago. “Whatever happens today, nothing goes away.”

Sen. Ira Silverstein, the Chicago Democrat pushing the rate freeze, said he was unsure after the committee vote if he would push for a Senate vote Wednesday night.

“I think it’s something we have to do to protect our citizens,” Silverstein said of the freeze.