McConnell to lift blockade on Dems' Senate control after filibuster assurances

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday that he’s now satisfied the filibuster, a defining feature of the Senate, won’t be erased, so he will lift his blockade and allow Democrats to finish organizing as the majority party.

The Kentucky Republican has been holding up Democrats’ ability to take control of committees, using that as leverage to try to win an ironclad agreement from Democrats that they would not trigger the nuclear option and nix the filibuster.

He didn’t win that concession, but he said two Democrats have come out forcefully in rejecting any changes, and in a 50-50 Senate their opposition makes him confident the critical but controversial tool remain.

“Today two Democratic Senators publicly confirmed they will not vote to end the legislative filibuster. They agree with President Biden’s and my view that no Senate majority should destroy the right of future minorities of both parties to help shape legislation,” Mr. McConnell said in a statement.

The two Democrats who reaffirmed the value of the filibuster are Sens. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona and Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

Democrats took control of the Senate on Jan. 20 when three new senators were sworn in, along with Vice President Kamala Harris, whose tie-breaking vote gives the edge to Democrats in the 50-50 Senate.

But since the chamber is a “continuing body,” Republicans still have control of the committees based on their majority before Jan. 20. The Senate must pass a new organizing resolution to officially transfer control to Democrats.