Schumer urges Senate Republicans to say no to far-right wing of party

Sen. Chuck Schumer on Sunday called on moderate U.S. Senate Republicans to reject the far-right wing of their party and work with Democrats who are projected to retain control of the Senate following last week’s election.

The Democratic Senate majority leader from New York said the election, which gave Democrats at least 50 seats and thus control in the U.S. Senate, was a rejection of far-right candidates who denied the results of the 2020 election as well as those who did not condemn, or actively encouraged, the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

“We were at the edge of autocracy. The American electorate wisely had a step back,” said Schumer, speaking during a news conference in Manhattan on Sunday. “But we can end up there again if we don't work together and people get frustrated and listen to the siren calls of some of those on the extreme right about what's wrong with America.”

Schumer said Democrats will try to get Congress to deal with the debt ceiling during the lame duck session. Democrats want to raise the limit to allow the federal government to pay its debts this year, which would avoid a potential clash with Republicans next year that could lead to a government shutdown.

"The debt ceiling, of course, is something that we have to deal with. And it's something that we will look at over the next few weeks," Schumer said.

"I have to talk to the leadership first," Schumer added. "We don't know where the House is going to be yet [in the next Congress], who's going to be the leader, the majority or the speaker and the minority leader, but debt ceiling is something we have to deal with."

The caucus plans to meet this week on the subject, Schumer added.

House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and others are threatening to use the debt ceiling to force cuts to Medicare and Social Security.

Delays in raising the debt limit in 2011 led to an increase in the U.S. Treasury Department's borrowing costs of about $1.3 billion in fiscal year 2011, according to estimates from the U.S. General Accountability Office.

Schumer did not otherwise provide specific details about what the Democratic majority would pursue in the next session of Congress.

Democrats are projected to retain control of the upper chamber after Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada held onto their seats, giving their party a 50-49 edge. A runoff election in Georgia between the Democratic candidate U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock and the Republican candidate Herschel Walker is set for Dec. 6.

Representatives of Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky did not respond to a request seeking comment. But other Republican officials making the Sunday talk show rounds mirrored Schumer’s position.

Outgoing Republican Gov. Larry Hogan of Maryland, speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union,” agreed that the GOP should change course on its messaging.

“I think it's basically the third election in a row that Donald Trump has cost us the race,” he said. “And it's like three strikes, you're out.”

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” stopped short of saying he would not support a 2024 Trump presidential candidacy, but said he didn’t think Trump becoming the nominee would “come to transpire.”

“Our party should be about the future,” Cassidy said. “I think our next candidate will be looking to the future, not to the past, and I think our next candidate will win. And so I anticipate supporting a candidate who's looking to the future.”

With Tom Brune

By Vera Chinese

vera.chinese@newsday.com@VeraChinese

Vera Chinese joined Newsday in 2017 after working as an editor for the East End lifestyle publication northforker and a general assignment reporter for the New York Daily News.