Senate Republicans are vowing to push President Biden toward the center if they win back the majority in November, setting the stage for possible high-profile clashes next year.
Republicans are feeling optimistic about their chances in November as Biden has struggled to get a boost in the polls, even as Senate Republicans navigate primary election landmines of their own.
The GOP message is an early warning sign of the potential gridlock, and headaches, Biden could face in the second half of his term, particularly if Democrats lose both the House and Senate.
“If Joe Biden is confronted with a Republican majority in both chambers, I’ve always thought that the onus is really on him. Because it will be a test of just how pragmatic and transactional he can be. … So, I think the test is really on him,” Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) told The Hill.
Sen. John Thune (S.D.), the No. 2 Senate Republican, pointed to energy and “Big Tech” as two areas of potential common interest but said it would “depend largely” on the White House.
