Advance Notice: Briefs

Stabenow, Schumer bash GOP Senate ahead of 2020 as ‘legislative graveyard’

By: - June 10, 2019 11:00 am

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow | Andrew Roth

U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) are spearheading a push to use the Senate’s short list of legislative victories as political ammunition against Republicans in 2020.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) (3rd R) speaks to members of the media at the U.S. Capitol after the weekly Republican Senate policy luncheon January 9, 2019 |Alex Wong, Getty Images

The Lansing Democrat and Schumer hatched the idea of U.S. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) as “steward of the ‘legislative graveyard,’” Politico reported on Monday.

“People don’t understand that if the Senate does not become a Democratic majority, we will see Sen. McConnell do the same thing, just stopping everything,” Stabenow told Politico.

A Democratic majority would be more receptive to a broader range of debates, she said.

“Every single one of our members that is a ranking member right now is just chomping at the bit so they can chair a committee,” Stabenow said.

Republicans are meanwhile blaming Democrats for Senate stagnation.

But even some Republicans are —  behind-the-scenes — acknowledging  the danger for the GOP of the “legislative graveyard” characterization, according to Politico.

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Michael Gerstein
Michael Gerstein

Michael Gerstein is a former Advance reporter covering the Governor's office, criminal justice and the environment.

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