Sen. John Barrasso, a Wyoming Republican, suggested that Minority Leader Chuck Schumer sees impeachment as an opportunity for Democrats to win back the Senate.
In a press conference on Friday, Barrasso, 67, said that Schumer is trying to make the impeachment trial about vulnerable Republican senators, such as Cory Gardner of Colorado, Susan Collins of Maine, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, and Martha McSally of Arizona, because he thinks he can use their votes against them.
“This isn’t only about the presidential race. This is about the United States Senate. If you take a listen to Chuck Schumer’s statements, putting the trial, putting it on the members of the United States Senate,” Barrasso said. “This is about Susan Collins. This is about Thom Tillis. This is about Martha McSally. This is about Cory Gardner.”
He added, “Chuck Schumer has said as much. This is — only part of it is about removing President Trump and taking his name off of the ballot. It is also about Chuck Schumer trying to make himself a majority leader of the United States Senate, and there is no way to deny it because he himself has confirmed it.”
Schumer has targeted a handful of Republican senators who could be willing to vote with him on various issues within the impeachment trial, including which witnesses, if any, to call to add testimony. Cook Political Report listed McSally, Collins, and Gardner’s seats as “toss-ups,” while Tillis is listed as “lean Republican.” Democrats have only one “toss-up” seat: Sen. Doug Jones of Alabama.
Democrats would have to win five of these races for Schumer to regain the majority in 2020.
[Read more: Key Republican will ‘likely’ vote to call witnesses in Trump impeachment trial]
