Washington – Democrats will again claim the Senate majority on Tuesday, but much of the House’s focus will be on Republicans at the top, as Mitch McConnell is the longest-serving Senate president in history.
McConnell, 80, will surpass Montana Senator Mike Mansfield’s 16-year record as party leader when the Senate convenes for a new legislature at noon. A Republican from Kentucky, he admits he wants his party to take the lead, but “the majority is better,” McConnell frequently says.
And Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (DN.Y.) is cementing his own legacy after winning a second term as party leader. Democrats will join the new Congress with her 51 to 49 majority, and newly independent Senator Kirsten Cinema will receive commission duties from the Democrats.
The celebratory Senate proceedings will see Republican leader Kevin McCarthy battling to become the controversial chairman amidst his own party’s infighting for a new Republican House majority across the Capitol. McConnell, who has led the party since 2007, briefly dismissed similar challenges internally after the November midterm elections, and like Schumer, We entered the new year with strong support from the caucuses.
By praising Mansfield’s tenure, which led the party in the Senate after Democrat Lyndon Johnson resigned in 1961 to become vice president and served until 1977, McConnell, always restrained, set his own long-term strategy. alludes to Bombs and chaos across the Capitol.
According to an excerpt of a speech released Tuesday morning, McConnell said, “Senator Michael Joseph Mansfield of Montana is the longest-serving U.S. It’s how I became a senator who did it.” until this morning. “
Like President Joe Biden, both Schumer and McConnell will enter the year with pledges to work across the aisle. highlights the nearly $1 trillion in infrastructure investments that lawmakers have bipartisanly approved in 2021.
Also on Tuesday, the Senate will sworn in seven new members, five Republicans and two Democrats. Pennsylvania Democrat John Fetterman is the only new party member to win the seat held by retired Republican Senator Pat Toomey, overturning party control of his seat. All six of his other new senators replace members of the same party.
The new Republican Senators are Ted Budd of North Carolina, Katie Britt of Alabama, Mark Wayne Mullin of Oklahoma, Eric Schmidt of Missouri and JD Vance of Ohio.
Vermont’s Peter Welch is the only new Democrat to replace Senator Patrick Leahy, who is retiring after holding the seat for almost 50 years.
Washington Senator Patty Murray will make history for herself as the first female Senator to replace Leahy. That her office is held by the oldest member of the majority party and is her third alongside president.
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