Senate control could hang in limbo for weeks after Election Day
Senate leaders could be guessing who will control the chamber well into November, thanks to a slew of tight races and state-specific voting rules. Why it matters: A GOP majority would ease the pressure on Senate Majority Leader John Thune to move quickly on nominations, while a Democratic majority would give Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer more leverage in the lame-duck session. If the…
The fate of Senate control hangs in the balance following the recent election, with a potential protracted period of uncertainty until well into November. This is largely due to a multitude of close races and unique state-specific voting procedures. The implications are significant, as a Republican majority would reduce the pressure on Senate Majority Leader John Thune to expedite nominations.
Conversely, a Democratic majority would grant Minority Leader Chuck Schumer greater influence during the lame-duck session. In the event of a split 50/50 outcome, Senate leaders would need to commence negotiations regarding their power-sharing arrangement.
Four states stand out as potential factors in extending the majority's uncertainty: Alaska, Maine, Kansas, and Texas. In Alaska, Republican Senator Dan Sullivan is battling former Representative Mary Peltola in a race that has taken weeks to conclude due to the state's logistical hurdles, mail ballots, and ranked-choice voting system. The Trump Justice Department is proactively seeking to prevent election results from being finalized if Sullivan falls short.
Maine's unique ranked-choice voting system could also prolong the vote counting process if neither Republican Senator Susan Collins nor Democratic nominee Troy Jackson secures more than 50% in the initial round. Similarly, Kansas' three-day grace period for mail-in ballots may delay the outcome of the race between Democratic nominee Adam Hamilton and Republican Senator Roger Marshall.
In Texas, a drawn-out recount is a possibility if the margin between Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democratic Representative James Talarico falls below 10% of the winner's vote total. The candidate requesting the recount bears the cost. Meanwhile, Congress is slated to embark on its holiday recess on December 18. However, should the Republicans lose both the House and Senate, Senator Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) has expressed the desire for senators to remain in Washington through the holidays, even Thanksgiving and Christmas, to work on a comprehensive GOP reconciliation package that could be enacted without Democratic backing.
Regardless of the outcome, Congress faces a lengthy to-do list, including funding the government beyond December 11, approving emergency defense spending, potentially raising the debt ceiling, and passing the National Defense Authorization Act, Farm Bill, and warrantless wiretap authority under FISA Section 702, among other measures.
Senate Majority Leader Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) recently commented that working in Washington through the holiday recess is a distinct possibility.
Written by urgent.news from Axios's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
