Democratic unity during the Trump era was one of Schumer’s successes, but it was much easier to achieve in the minority. For the most part, he will have to get Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren on board with Joe Manchin (DW.Va.) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), Repeatedly, or Joe Biden’s schedule will come to a halt quickly.
“What unites us is the desire to improve the lives of the American people. What divides us is the strategy, the tactics, ”said Senator Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii). Republicans, he said, “are not divided by ideology, but whether or not someone supports the premise of democracy itself. And that looks like a more difficult caucus to manage. “
Schumer spoke with Biden on Wednesday morning and said he promised the Biden government that he will have a “partner” on the Senate Democratic bench, who will make a “bold change”. But he said he has not yet spoken to Republican Party leader Mitch McConnell, and the two will need to put their bad blood aside to find out how exactly Senate control will work with the equally divided chamber and a vice president Kamala Harris breaking through. ties.
Schumer, who will be the first Jewish majority leader in the Senate, has had close ties to top Republican senators, such as John Cornyn, from Texas, and John Thune, from South Dakota, sometimes serving as a backroom negotiator before becoming a Democratic leader. . But Republicans are now preparing for Schumer to run over them.
Even Senator Mitt Romney (R-Utah), who used to work out with Schumer at the Senate academy and echoed many Democratic criticisms of Trump, lamented that Schumer will not be “as good as Mitch McConnell would have been and has been” as a majority leader. Even so, he said that they have a good relationship.
One difference between Schumer and reserved McConnell is that Schumer is in constant contact with his members, constantly calling his flip phone, which rang several times at Wednesday’s press conference. That will not change, say the allies, and Schumer received calls from Democrats all Wednesday morning. Schumer said he also spoke with Warnock and Ossoff several times on Tuesday night from his home in Brooklyn, while following the election.
But Democrats said they expected the Senate floor to look much different – and more active – than in the McConnell administration, which prioritized court nominations and legislation that it could pass with a majority vote. The Kentucky Republican avoided major debates over immigration or infrastructure reform, which would require Democratic adherence to obtain the absolute majority requirement needed for most legislation.
“I have a friend where you ask how he is, he always says, ‘Compared to what?’ So, compared to our current leader, [Schumer] it will be a big improvement, ”said Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.). “He believes that when the bills go to plenary, we should have the opportunity to debate them and propose amendments. So, that will be a change. “
How far the party will go is not yet known. Manchin is already calling for “a new era of bipartisanship in Washington”, while others want to see Democrats accept ambitious progressive proposals – and override 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 we can do much more if we are in a Democratic Senate. “
Warren teamed up with Schumer to pressure Biden to use his executive authority to cancel student loans unilaterally, and Senate Democrats will consider whether they will do the same on other issues. While it is unlikely to kill the obstructor, the party can pass important legislation by reconciling the budget by a simple majority. Both Trump’s tax cuts and the Affordable Care Act were approved for this maneuver.
Priority one will be Covid’s help, and Schumer specifically said that the Senate will focus on approving $ 2,000 stimulus checks, which Ossoff and Warnock campaigned for. Schumer declined to say on Wednesday whether this would be a tightly adapted bill as the House passed in December or the support for a larger aid package.
But as he finds out his agenda and how to get Biden’s office confirmed, the Senate map will always be on Schumer’s mind. In many ways, the top priority of a Senate majority leader is to remain the Senate majority leader, and 2022 is proving to be a tough battle for control of the Senate. Warnock will be in office for a full term, and a handful of decisive states will see competitive races.
Some of Schumer ‘s members want to see their reign turn purple, even as Democrats regain full control of Washington for the first time in a decade.
“We need people working across the hall,” said Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Who could also be re-elected. “Sometimes we see a lot of that, sometimes we don’t. It is important for the future of our country that Democrats and Republicans work together to solve these problems, regardless of who is in charge. “