Here's hoping he has two bad weeks.
The next test of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell's leadership, and the Democratic majority's patience with the filibuster, could happen as early as Tuesday when the Senate
takes up the Transportation and Housing funding bill.
The bill has been a major point of contention between Reid and House Republicans since last year, and the acrimony hasn't abated. But the ongoing frustration over the $10 billion difference between the two bills, and the Republican insistence on starving these programs has spilled over into the Republican caucus, and was apparent when a half dozen Republicans broke ranks in committee to move the bill forward.
The vote shows that Republicans on Capitol Hill are split on funding levels, which will hamper the GOP leaders in their negotiations with Democrats to avert a government shutdown later this year.
The six Republican senators, including Sen. Jerry Moran (Kan.), the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee and a member of leadership, joined Democrats in supporting the measure. Besides Moran, Sens. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) all voted with Democrats on the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The Club for Growth immediately criticized senators who supported the bill.
Some of those defectors were among those who
provided Republican votes to break the filibuster on President Obama's executive nominations this week. That's enough Republican votes to get cloture on this bill. And make
Mitch McConnell's world that much more difficult.
Stop the gridlock! Sign our petition with Senator Jeff Merkley to ask that the U.S. Senate reinstate the talking filibuster.