Posted on 02/01/2022 6:55:06 PM PST by RandFan
News of Sen. Ben Ray Luján’s (D-N.M.) stroke sent shockwaves through the Senate on Tuesday, underscoring the fragility of Democrats’ 50-50 majority.
Democrats are in the majority because they have 50 seats and the ability for Vice President Harris to break a tie. Luján’s absence leaves them at 49 seats until he returns, with his office saying he’s expected to make a full recovery.
“It's just a reminder that in a 50-50 Senate any unexpected development could be a challenge to our moving forward on an agenda that the Democratic caucus shares,” said Sen. Chris Coons (D-Del.), who said he was very optimistic that the 49-year-old Luján would make a full recovery.
Underscoring the narrow majority, Democrats on the Commerce Committee, which Luján is a member of, almost immediately yanked three nominations that were expected to get votes on Wednesday. An aide noted that the agenda was being "recalibrated to take into consideration the need for all Democratic votes in order to move certain nominees forward."
The announcement appeared to catch senators off guard.
“Oh my god. I didn’t know that,” said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the No. 2 Senate Democrat.
Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), asked by reporters about Luján, said it was the first time that he was hearing the news.
“Oh, my God. I’ll find out. I did not know that, wow, ” Tester said.
Democrats still technically outnumber GOP senators for now.
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) is in quarantine for the week because of COVID-19. Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) also announced on Tuesday that he went into quarantine after testing positive for the coronavirus. Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), the No. 2 Senate Republican, said that he expected Romney and Hoeven back next week.
Luján’s office didn’t immediately respond to question about when he could return to the Capitol. But in a statement they said that Lujan—who at 49 is young by Senate terms—is “expected to make a full recovery.”
It’s not the first time that an absence has deprived Democrats of 50 votes and thrown the schedule into question.
Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) testing positive for the coronavirus, combined with the threat of a snowstorm, forced Schumer to delay, by a matter of days, votes on election-related legislation and an effort to change the legislative filibuster.
Democrats also delayed votes earlier this year after Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) was stuck in his car for roughly 27 hours as he tried to travel back to Washington, D.C., with the interstate at a standstill because of snow and ice.
Democrats are currently plowing through 20 nominees that Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) has teed up for votes, which is expected to eat up the Senate floor for this week and next week.
Democrats can confirm Biden’s nominees without Lujan at the moment because of the GOP absences. If all GOP senators are present, they’ll need Republican help to confirm the nominees.
Other key pieces of the Democratic agenda are in limbo anyways, meaning they won’t be impacted by Luján’s absence.
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) reiterated on Tuesday that the version of Build Back Better that passed the House is “dead.” Democratic leaders and the White House have been careful to sidestep committing to a demand from House progressives that they pass the bill by March 1.
Democrats are waiting for Biden to name his replacement to succeed Justice Stephen Breyer on the Supreme Court. He’s pledged to name his pick by the end of February but even once he does, it’s expected to take at least a month for the Senate to get to a final confirmation vote.
There are also bipartisan discussions happening on Russia sanctions and reforming the Electoral Count Act as well as a looming deadline to fund the government by Feb. 18.
The governor of South Dakota at the time was Republican Mike Rounds (now in the Senate). If Johnson had resigned due to his health, the Senate would have been tied with Dick Cheney holding the tie-breaking vote, causing the Senate to switch to Republican rule.
-PJ
Isn’t the NM senator the NM governor’s uncle?
My bad - if they are related it isn’t that close.
I guess Kane will blame it on Global Warming.
stroke at 49?
odds are, it’s vaxx related.
he’ll have more.
Notice how evil dems are not worried about his recovery, BUT worried about the dem party vote and Biden.
Kaine is light in the loafers.
It should have been Little Dickless Durbin, a traitor if there ever was one. He’s the Dems attack dog against those for a strong American defense and intelligence system. Sort of like John Kerry without his windsurfing dingy.
Long time back, knew a guy in his mid 20s that had a minor one.
He was one of those really big and tall muscle bound types. He no sense of feeling in one hand and the same side of his face dropped some.
She was the niece Of another guy named Manuel lujan who passed away. She and Ben are not related.
Tim Kaine couldn’t pour pi$$ out of a boot if the instructions were on the bottom.
The Democrats have nothing to worry about. A RINO Senator will claim to have an ingrown toenail and stays home to recover.
Did he recently get a booster shot?
Don’t know. Just going by the date on the video posted.
They want the Right dead and you wish their side well? You are part of the problem. This is war and they are the enemy…. Unless you are a leftist troll.
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