Dysfunction and gridlock in the Senate chamber could get worse if Joe Biden wins the presidential election in November, a new analysis claims.
Politico reported Monday that as much pushback as President Donald Trump and the Republicans in the Senate have received from Democrats in regard to Trump's nominees, things could get worse starting next January if Trump loses his reelection bid.
"It's a major concern, having gone through a couple confirmations myself," Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, told Politico. "We've got to figure this out. If you do it to one side, it tends to happen to the other side."
Politico pointed out that Senate gridlock was bad during President George W. Bush's administration, worse under Barack Obama's presidency, and even worse still during the first term of Trump's time in the White House.
The Republican-controlled Senate has held 314 roll-call votes to end Democrat filibusters and end debate on Trump nominees, according to Politico. Before Trump, a total of 244 such votes were held under all presidents.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said his party is merely responding to nominees who are often "less qualified."
"This administration's playing by a different set of rules, and so it requires us to think differently about the rules that we apply," Murphy told Politico. "A lot of [nominees] have been less qualified, many of them are less mainstream."
Despite the partisan pushback, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has gotten 517 of Trump's nominees confirmed, according to a Washington Post tally. However, only 48% of judicial positions are currently filled.
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