Voters in New Jersey, New York City, Virginia and California delivered Democrats a sweep on Tuesday, electing candidates across the party’s ideological spectrum in a vivid show of discontent with President Donald J. Trump nearly a year into his second term. Senate Democrats involved in talks to end the government shutdown are trying to use the momentum of Tuesday night’s election to spur their Republican colleagues to support a compromise framework that would temporarily extend enhanced Obamacare subsidies with some reforms to reopen the government. The push comes as Republicans emerged from a breakfast at the White House, in which President Trump warned his own party that the shutdown was hurting Republicans. The President urged GOP senators to eliminate the filibuster Wednesday morning while addressing them in a group that included Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota), who’s made his opposition known to doing away with the 60-vote threshold.
Encouraged by the election results, and President Trump’s admission the shutdown is hurting Republicans, the group of centrist Senate Democrats that are sounding out Democratic colleagues on a potential deal to reopen the federal government this week or next week are getting strong pushback that could scuttle a potential agreement. Roughly a dozen Senate Democrats are viewed as ready to end the shutdown and turn the party’s focus toward hammering Republicans over health care ahead of a vote to extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies following the reopening of government. But major wins Tuesday night, especially the gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia, are giving fresh fuel to calls from other corners of the Senate Democratic Caucus for the party to dig in and fight until they get a deal with Republicans on the ACA tax credits, however long that may take.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) sent a letter requesting a meeting between the president and congressional leaders Wednesday morning.
For today, the Senate is expected to take up Confirmation of Executive Calendar #371 Eric Chunyee Tung, of California, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Ninth Circuit and Confirmation of Executive Calendar #421 Caleb Orr, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs.
The House continues to remain in recess and has not voted since September 19th, 47 days ago.
