Senate Democrats are stepping in to address issues after Republicans successfully blocked an effort to eliminate Trump’s “liberation day” tariffs. This setback occurred partly due to absences among key votes, which left the Democrats feeling frustrated, especially given their limited influence currently.
They were close to achieving another tariff-related win on the Senate floor, but those hopes diminished due to the lack of attendance. Some members of the party expressed disappointment about missed chances, particularly as they recognized they didn’t have much power to push their agenda forward.
“I want to win,” lamented Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.).
Additionally, some Democrats criticized the leadership for mishandling the situation. They required full participation to pass the measure, but Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) was in South Korea and unable to vote, a trip leadership had known about for weeks.
Meanwhile, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who had supported a similar bill in Canada recently, also missed the vote due to illness, resulting in a tie at 49-49. This absence left many members frustrated, as they felt the leadership had failed to adequately communicate the situation.
“When they knew the Whitehouse wouldn’t be voting, they should’ve adjusted,” a source familiar with the discussions noted. If McConnell had been present, the scenario would have been different, but Democrats weren’t counting on that.
“You can’t depend on the other party to save the day,” the source added. “You have to secure every vote possible. That’s the best strategy. We can’t achieve it alone; we need all our troops lined up.”
Democratic leaders defended the way the votes were managed after their failure.
“I don’t think anything went wrong. We just needed more votes,” said Senate Minority Leader Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). “We weren’t sure how things would turn out, but we knew some were absent.”
Attendance issues became a focal point after Whitehouse and McConnell missed the morning votes. However, Durbin downplayed any concerns, suggesting there were “no signs” of trouble, even as he later admitted that he wasn’t “100% certain” about the absence.
This voting episode occurred nearly a month after four Republicans sided with Senate Democrats to disapprove of Trump’s tariffs against Canada. Following the Canadian vote, leaders from both parties urged their members to minimize Democratic turnout.
Collins, Murkowski, and Paul once again backed the Democrats, allowing Republicans to take a more aggressive stance on votes, which could lead to further opportunities for the Chamber. Vice President Vance also seemed to have contributed to the deadlock.
Despite the voting failure, some Democrats viewed the situation positively, as it pressured Vance and the Republicans to consider clean-up measures, which had a notable impact on the stock markets.
“In any event, it provided an advantage for both sides. Winning the vote would have been a solid victory, similar to our Canadian win,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) commented. “If we lost, all Republicans would be aware that they were tied to maintaining these unpopular tariffs, especially with the electorate watching.”
“The Republicans own this. They worry about the tariffs. They brought Vance in… and now they have to deal with the repercussions. It’s their responsibility,” Schumer added. “We aimed to make a statement on the 100th day to set ourselves apart from Trump.”
The minority leader also mentioned that the resolution was non-binding and likely would’ve died in the House, similar to the Canadian resolution.
Nonetheless, the failed votes haven’t deterred those who were part of Thursday’s push. Many members remain hopeful for future opportunities to tackle these issues.
“There are plenty more chances ahead,” said Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who has been involved in efforts related to Canadian tariffs and worked with Wyden and Paul on the “Day of Emancipation” resolution, labeling Wednesday’s vote as “unfortunate.”
“We’re looking at numerous possibilities,” he continued. “With Donald Trump likely to declare more emergencies, we’re prepared to respond each time.”
