[Political Junkie Too]

I've been reading the Senate rules found here, and voting rules found here.

According to the definition of "simple majority" for rollcall votes:

All questions are to be decided on the Senate floor by simple majority vote unless some constitutional provision or Senate rule or precedent provides otherwise. A simple majority vote is defined as at least 50% plus one of the Senators voting, provided that a quorum is present.

So, assuming there are 49 Republicans, 48 present Democrats, and 2 Independents, this gives the Democrats 50 votes. However, in a Senate with 99 members present, a simple majority (50%+1) is 50.5 votes, or 51 if you round.

Does this mean that the Organizing Vote to be held tomorrow will NOT meet the rules for simple majority, so it fails? If it fails, does this mean that the current organization remains in force until a new Organizing resolution can garner 51 votes?

-PJ

[Non-Sequitur]

Does this mean that the Organizing Vote to be held tomorrow will NOT meet the rules for simple majority, so it fails? If it fails, does this mean that the current organization remains in force until a new Organizing resolution can garner 51 votes?

Sorry, no. The rule is 50% plus one of the Senators voting. If Johnson cannot come to the floor then he doesn't vote. That means 99 Senators will vote. 50% plus one is still 50 senators. They don't round, and they don't count partial senators.