Where every Senate Republican stands on ‘nuking’ the filibuster
The article from the Washington Examiner discusses the divided stance among Senate Republicans regarding former President Donald TrumpS push to end the filibuster, a Senate rule requiring 60 votes to advance most legislation. Trump’s campaign against the filibuster has created tensions within the GOP, with some new senators open to weakening or reforming it, while many others prefer to maintain it.
Out of 53 Senate Republicans, 41 were interviewed, revealing that 24 senators (45%) publicly support keeping the filibuster intact, reflecting Senate Majority Leader john Thune’s position that there are not enough votes to abolish it. Eleven senators (21%) remained noncommittal, nine (17%) are persuadable or open to reform, and several others declined to comment.
Key Republican leaders strongly defend the filibuster despite Trump’s pressure. Though, some senators, such as Ron Johnson (R-WI), have shifted towards supporting Trump’s position after discussions about the ongoing government shutdown and budget issues. Others, like John Boozman (R-AK), favor preserving the filibuster but are open to limited reforms.
Several senators are cautious, avoiding firm statements while emphasizing the need for further discussion. Senators like Josh Hawley (R-MO) are willing to eliminate the filibuster if it helps address urgent issues like food stamp payments during the shutdown. Others advocate for reform rather then complete elimination.
the article highlights deep divisions within the GOP about the filibuster’s future, with many Republicans balancing institutional tradition against political and policy pressures intensified by the current government shutdown and upcoming elections.
Where every Senate Republican stands on Trump’s call to end the filibuster
President Donald Trump’s crusade to end the filibuster is driving a deep wedge among Senate Republicans, with new senators opening the door to weakening it and others unwilling to take a stand on what has become a GOP political land mine.
In a series of hallway interviews this week, the Washington Examiner asked 41 of the Senate’s 53 Republicans for their view on the 60-vote threshold, which Trump has spent the last week railing against as Democrats block a bill to end the government shutdown. Responses for another half dozen or so were provided by spokespeople.
The most common answer was that the filibuster should remain in place, lending credence to Senate Majority Leader John Thune’s (R-SD) refrain that the votes aren’t there for its abolishment. Twenty-four senators, or 45% of the conference, expressed that view publicly.
Yet many Republicans were evasive or outright uncomfortable stating their position, while a sizable share were open to or inclined to support Trump. Eleven, or 21%, were noncommittal. Another nine, or 17%, fell in the persuadable camp. The final category, “no response,” includes senators who either declined to comment in person or whose office did not reply by time of publication.
This tally will be updated if additional Senate offices reply or want to clarify their position.
All of the top Republicans in Senate leadership were unmoved by Trump’s pressure campaign, reaffirming their support for the filibuster after a bevy of Truth Social posts calling for its elimination. And Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT), an adviser to Thune, took a more ambiguous stance than he did in 2018, when he openly sided with Trump as a freshman senator.
“We don’t have the votes, so it’s a moot point,” he said.
There were signs, however, that senators were reevaluating their stance in light of the monthlong shutdown, which is centered on Democrats’ demand for healthcare concessions.
Sen. John Boozman (R-AK), who signed a 2017 letter calling for the preservation of the filibuster, said on Tuesday that he still supported it but was willing to discuss carve-outs.
“Kept with discussion of reform,” he said.
In one notable flip, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), after initially saying he would only consider nixing the filibuster for fiscal changes like balancing the budget, said he was now on board and would actually lobby other members to side with Trump.
His reassessment came after the president hosted Republicans for a White House breakfast where he again brought up the filibuster, arguing Republicans should act now because the Democrats would do the same if they retake the Senate.
The most striking finding was how many senators would not state their view one way or another, with many answering in generalities or repeating the “votes aren’t there” mantra.
“It’s going to require a longer conversation,” Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) said, simply adding, “I am taking this one step at a time,” when pressed for his personal opinion.
“I’m not giving to anybody a tally score,” Sen. Deb Fischer (R-NE) said after hinting that “maybe” her view had changed.
“Let’s just open the government,” said Sen. Ted Budd (R-NC). “The easy answer on this is for Democrats to open the government. That’s what they need to do.”
In terms of senators most open to Trump, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) is at one end of the spectrum and would eliminate the filibuster if it means resuming food stamps payments that have been put at risk due to the shutdown.
“If you’re putting me into a choice between the institutional rules of the Senate versus human suffering, I’m going to protect people,” he said.
At the other end are long-serving senators like John Cornyn (R-TX), who say they are “willing to listen” but also strongly prefer that it stay in place. Cornyn is seeking Trump’s endorsement in his Texas Senate primary.
The Washington Examiner didn’t find many Republicans who wanted to wholesale eliminate the filibuster, with Hawley and Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) explicitly hedging that siding with Trump isn’t a binary choice.
“I’m for reforming the filibuster under certain circumstances,” Banks said.
This view mirrors that of many Senate Democrats, who have previously expressed support for carve-outs on issues important to their caucus, including abortion access or voting rights legislation. Trump, for his part, named voter ID laws and other election changes when meeting with Senate Republicans on Wednesday.
Some of the Republicans who fall into the “open” bucket were undecided or did not have fully fleshed out opinions on the subject.
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Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) floated lowering the filibuster threshold, but not to a simple majority, while Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) said his view was still evolving.
“I wake up every morning praying that I would do justice,” Marshall said on Wednesday. “Two weeks ago, I would have said, ‘Hell no, leave it alone.’ Here we are, day 45, and I’m seriously considering it.”
Grace Hagerman contributed to this report.
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