Campaign

McConnell suggests he could hold Senate in session through October

by Max Greenwood - 09/21/18 11:00 AM ET

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) suggested Friday that he could keep lawmakers in Washington until the end of October if Democrats seek to slow or block the confirmation of President Trump’s judicial nominees.

McConnell said the Senate would soon wrap up some of its major to-do items, like funding the government and confirming Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

But he hinted that it would be up to Democrats to strike a deal on nominations if they want to leave town before the end of October.

“Our friends on the other side who have a number of incumbents running for reelection this year are going to want to … recess,” McConnell said at the Values Voter Summit, an annual gathering of conservatives in Washington.

“It won’t surprise you that I’m making my list and checking it twice,” McConnell said. “That, my friends, is how we’re dealing with obstruction.”

If McConnell were to hold the Senate in session at the end of October, it could keep more than two dozen Democrats who are defending their seats this year off the campaign trail in the final days before voters head to the polls.

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The Kentucky Republican’s suggestion comes after he canceled most of the chamber’s August recess, holding senators back from hitting the campaign trail.

Democrats are defending far more seats than Republicans this year, including 10 in states won by President Trump in 2016.

But the move could keep some Republicans from heading back to their states ahead of the elections.

Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.) is considered among the most vulnerable incumbents up for reelection this year, and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is facing an increasingly close race against Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-Texas).