Chuck Schumer finally breaks through
One difference between Schumer and the tight-lipped McConnell is that Schumer is in constant contact with his members, calling them constantly on his flip phone, which rang several times at Wednesday’s press conference. That won’t change, allies say, and Schumer fielded calls from Democrats all morning on Wednesday. Schumer said he also spoke to both Warnock and Ossoff multiple times on Tuesday night from his home in Brooklyn as he tracked the election.
But Democrats did say they expected the Senate floor to look very different — and more active — than it did under McConnell, who prioritized judicial nominations and legislation he could pass with majority votes. The Kentucky Republican largely steered clear of big debates over immigration reform or infrastructure, which would require Democratic buy-in to obtain the supermajority requirement needed for most legislation.
“I have a friend where you ask him how he’s doing he always says, ‘Compared to what?’ So, compared to our current leader, [Schumer] will be a great improvement,” said Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.). “He believes that when bills come to the floor, we should have the opportunity to debate them and offer amendments to them. So that will be a change.”
How far the party will go remains to be seen. Already, Manchin is asking for “a new era of bipartisanship in Washington,” while others want to see Democrats embrace ambitious progressive proposals — and overrule Republicans, if necessary.
“Democrats need to deliver,” said Sen. Warren (D-Mass.) in a recent interview. “There are things we can do without the Democratic Senate. But a lot more we can do if we’re in a Democratic Senate.”
Warren has teamed with Schumer to push Biden to use his executive authority to cancel student loans unilaterally, and Senate Democrats will weigh whether to do the same on other issues. Though killing the filibuster is unlikely, the party can pass major legislation through budget reconciliation by a simple majority. Both Trump’s tax cuts and the Affordable Care Act were passed through that maneuver.
Priority number one will be Covid aid, and Schumer said specifically the Senate will focus on approving $2,000 stimulus checks, which Ossoff and Warnock campaigned on. Schumer declined to say on Wednesday whether that would be a narrowly tailored bill like the House passed in December or the underpinning of a larger relief package.
But as he figures out his agenda and how to get Biden’s Cabinet confirmed, the Senate map will always be on Schumer’s mind. In many ways, the top priority of a Senate majority leader is to stay Senate majority leader, and 2022 is shaping up to be a rugged battle for Senate control. Warnock will be up for a full term, and a handful of swing states will see competitive races.
Some of Schumer’s members want to see his reign take on a purple hue, even as Democrats regain full control of Washington for the first time in a decade.
“We need folks working across the aisle,” said Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), who is also up for reelection. “At times we see a lot of that, at times we don’t. It’s important to the future of our country that Democrats and Republicans work together to solve these problems regardless of who is in charge.”
