A handful of Democratic senators at a disadvantage in the November election could decide whether to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., told reporters on Tuesday that “we need to look at the impeachment documents first,” departing from previous suggestions that impeachment amounted to a “political game.”
Montana Democrats are struggling in perhaps the most competitive 2024 Senate race. He is expected to face former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy. The Cook Political Report, a leading nonpartisan political handicapping paper, calls the election one of four “toss-ups.”
Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pennsylvania, also left open the option of how he would vote if Democrats seek to halt the trial early, which Republicans are hoping for.
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If Democrats introduce a motion in the Senate to impeach DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, five vulnerable senators (from left to right) Bob Casey, Sherrod Brown, Jacky Rosen, Tammy Baldwin; Jon Tester could decide the outcome. (Getty Images)
“After the oath of office, we’ll see what happens from there,” Casey told FOX News Digital. “I don’t think anyone knows what’s going to happen.”
Mr. Casey faces a significant challenge in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, where former hedge fund executive and combat veteran Dave McCormick is considered the likely Republican candidate. Cook Political Report rates the contest as “lean Democratic.”
If Republicans and Democrats vote in favor of Mayorkas’ impeachment trial, they plan to shatter the Senate and halt it.
Vulnerable colleagues Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio) each joined their vulnerable colleagues in filing a motion to halt the impeachment trial. He declined to say what he plans to do if this happens.
“I’m not as sure as you are that the Senate questions will be table questions,” Baldwin told Fox News Digital. No,” he said.
Republican opponents have criticized incumbent Democrats for hesitation. (Getty Images)
Many Democrats recently shared with FOX News Digital their hopes that the caucus will aim to quickly dismiss the impeachment trial through procedural maneuvers. Senate Republicans also accuse Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York of making such a plan. However, Schumer has given no indication of any plans for an impeachment trial.
“They haven’t sent anything yet. How do we know they’re going to send it?” Brown asked, referring to the House of Commons.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) on Tuesday decided to postpone sending articles of impeachment against Mayorkas to Schumer until next week. He did so at the request of several Republican senators who did not want impeachment proceedings to take place over the weekend, when senators return home.
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“Instead of waiting for the dysfunctional House to introduce articles of impeachment for the first time in 100 years, why not actually do something at the border?” Brown asked. Like Tester, Brown is embroiled in a “toss-up” race with Trump-supporting Republican candidate Bernie Moreno.
Mr Brown blamed the House for delaying delivery of the article. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, via Getty Images)
Mr. Baldwin’s opponent, like Mr. Casey, is considered a “lean Democrat.” The frontrunner for the Republican nomination in Wisconsin is businessman Eric Hovde.
Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Neverland) told Fox News Digital that she wants the impeachment trial dismissed.
“We should reject this,” she said Wednesday.
Mr. Rosen’s recent political handicap has shifted his race from “lean Democrat” to “toss-up,” illustrating the pivotal role the battleground state of Nevada will play in November. Nevada’s Republican primary has not yet been held, but retired Army Capt. Sam Brown is the front-runner with the blessing of Republican Senate leadership.
Republican senators persuade Chairman Johnson to delay delivery of articles of impeachment against Mayorkas
Some vulnerable Democrats were recently negotiated earlier this year by Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.), and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.). He pointed to the bipartisan border package that was released. The measure quickly lost momentum after former President Trump voiced his opposition.
“That would have solved a lot of the problems we have at the border,” Rosen told Fox News Digital.
Rosen’s race has recently been described as becoming more competitive heading into November. (Getty Images)
“The laws are out there to solve these problems,” she said. “Please don’t impeach. We are a legislative body.”
“The law would allow us to hire thousands more Border Patrol agents and do a better job of stopping fentanyl at the border. So we should get there.” Casey said.
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But Republicans argued at the time that the negotiated package didn’t go far enough and contained harmful provisions.
It’s unclear what action some Democrats, who are in a tough re-election bid, will take after the articles of impeachment against Mayorkas are filed, but there are also questions on the Republican side.
Mr. Romney said he did not believe the impeachment inquiry would meet the standard of a trial. (Ting Sheng/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) told reporters Tuesday that “the best… No crimes or misdemeanors were alleged and the criteria for conviction were not met.
“I don’t want you to spend weeks pointing out the obvious fact that the border is a disaster. Secretary Mayorkas is following the position of his party and the elected president.”
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Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) declined to indicate what action she would take.
“I will be sworn in as a juror. A senator’s role is to be a judge as well as a juror. So I won’t comment on how to vote until that happens,” she explained.
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