Kushner meets with moderate Republicans in search of shutdown solution

Senior White House adviser Jared Kushner met with moderate Republican senators Wednesday afternoon in an effort to find a resolution to the 19-day partial government shutdown.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who hosted the meeting in his Senate Russell Building office for President Trump’s son-in-law and five other GOP senators, said the Republican lawmakers have agreed on “a process, maybe, that will pay dividends” in finding an end to the standoff between Trump and Democrats over border security.

{mosads}Graham said that under a potential deal “the president gets his security funding and can add some things to the mix that would draw some bipartisan support.”

“It’s in its infant stages — no commitment by anybody — but I’m somewhat hopeful that maybe there’s a way to get what the president wants in a fashion that would do the least amount of damage to the country,” he said.

Graham summarized the framework as “the wall plus something else” that he hopes would garner some Democratic support.

Sens. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) attended the meeting. Collins and Tillis face potentially tough reelection races in 2020.

Murkowski described the meeting as “a group of likeminded senators that are gathering to see if we can’t offer up some helpful suggestions.”

“We’re going to continue the conversations and see where we go,” she said.

Kushner declined to comment after leaving Graham’s office.

Democratic senators were not invited.

Jordain Carney contributed.