Schumer had little time to prepare: Democrats did not gain a majority before the Georgian run-off in January. And the day Schumer learned he was getting the job, the Capitol was invaded by rioters for Trump. His time to take in the good news was limited to just a few hours.
The timeline meant an crash course to lead the Senate along with a Democratic White House and House. During the Trump years, Schumer was overseen by the oversight of a universally united minority, although maintaining unity as a majority leader is always more challenging.
And with McConnell holding out the Senate organizational decision, the difficulty level for Schumer is so much higher.
“It’s unprecedented, really,” said Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Democrat no. “We had the perfect storm.”
“Sen. McConnell has been the minority leader before. Sen Schumer has never been a majority leader, ”added Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), A member of the GOP leadership. “One comes up with a little more time to think about what exactly the job entails than the other one.”
So far, Schumer has made it clear that he does not stand up to McConnell’s demand to include the protection of the legislative filibuster as part of any agreement on the sharing of powers. According to a private caucus call Thursday, Schumer told members he was optimistic he would reach an agreement with McConnell, according to a source from the call.
On the floor Friday, he called McConnell’s proposal ‘unacceptable’. He also rejected McConnell’s request to postpone Trump’s trial until mid-February, and later in the day reached an agreement with the GOP leader to begin the trial on the week of February 8.
These movements are seen in the caucus as a sign of strength.
“Chuck Schumer will continue to deny that the minority determines how the majority will function,” Senator Jeanne Shaheen (DN.H.) said.
Meanwhile, the pressure on Schumer from the left to scrap the filibuster is only increasing as the Republicans dig the big policy battles with the new Democratic majority.
Just Democracy, a coalition of more than 40 minority-led organizations, publishes ads in Times Square in New York and asks Schumer to eliminate the filibuster, according to details first shared with POLITICO. The ad urges Schumer to “abolish the filibuster” and quotes Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (DN.Y.) spokeswoman as describing it as “a cherished instrument of segregationists.”
Separately, Fix Our Senate, a group set up to target McConnell, is also putting together a full-page ad with other lawyers in the New York Times this weekend to eliminate the filibuster. Senate Republicans say Schumer faces an early pressure between Biden’s dual bromides and the voices in his own party pushing him to attack Republicans as quickly as possible.
“What [Schumer] want to do is to have it hung like a sword of Damocles over our heads for a future event, and I think it’s smart to have this issue resolved up front, “said Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas). “I also understand the political pressure that President Biden and Schumer have on the progressives, and look forward to being preceded by the AOC.”
But even if Schumer wants to get rid of the filibuster, he will have to overcome objections from moderates and possibly Biden himself.
Schumer’s top three priorities are to fill Biden’s cabinet, carry out the indictment and pass a major coronavirus relief package. But Republicans resisted them to varying degrees, despite Biden’s hopes of cooperating with the GOP.
At some point, the Democrats may get frustrated at deleting the filibuster. But for now, the retrospective plan of a stimulus measure is budget reconciliation, which evades the requirement of super-majority, but with some restrictions.
“I think we work through the committees until we can,” says Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), a progressive senator ready to take over the Banking Committee. ‘We keep trying until it does not work. And then we do reconciliation. ”
Democrats say they have no illusions about McConnell. But they also hope that his personal relationship with Biden could lead to more cooperation than under former President Barack Obama. McConnell has so far worked with the Democrats to ensure that Biden’s nominees for national security are confirmed, although the pace lags behind most previous presidents.
“We have a feeling that he does have a good personal relationship with Biden, which will be helpful,” said Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Who described McConnell’s efforts to influence Schumer in his early days as majority leader. picked up. “Chuck is currently negotiating from a strong position.”
The fact that McConnell has asked for a longer delay in the trial, as well as concessions on how to run the Senate, is pleasing to some Democrats, as McConnell still wants to be a majority leader, even if it’s Schumer’s time. Just as Schumer is leading the majority, Democrats say it could take a while before McConnell takes his hands off the wheel.
“I know it’s hard for him to get into his new role, but you can not be the majority leader if you are the minority leader,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) Said.
Laura Barrón-López contributed to this report.