Senate Democrats are stumbling into the end of their first year in the majority, with two of their biggest priorities—President Biden’s spending bill and voting rights—stuck in limbo.
Democrats entered the year facing sky-high expectations about what they could accomplish, with their base pushing a lengthy to-do list after the Trump years. Instead, Democrats are on the precipice of wrapping up for the year facing the painful reality of the limits of a 50-seat majority.
The setbacks fueled angst within the caucus and is poised to send Democrats back home to voters—and into the 2022 midterms where Republicans are feeling increasingly bullish—with key pieces of their legislative agenda incomplete.
Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) called a 50-50 majority “problematic,” adding, “I’ve used the word ‘sucks.’”
“Yes, I am frustrated,” she said. “I’m afraid we won’t retain the majority if we don’t pass voter protection legislation, which our constituents also expect us to do.”
Asked about his message to voters given the multi-front stalemate, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) fired back: “Welcome to the United States Senate. I’ve been here for 25 years and I’ve seen the decline of this institution.”
“Unless and until we change the rules of the Senate and get serious about legislating on the behalf of the American people we’re going to continue this frustration,” he said.