Senate Democrats are reportedly preparing to rush through a number of President Obama’s nominees during the upcoming lame-duck session of Congress, signaling that Democrats in the Senate are bearish on their chances in the Nov. 4 midterm elections.
“We will definitely move a lot of nominees during the lame duck one way or the other — possibly more if Republicans take the majority,” a Democratic Senate aide told Talking Points Memo.
The aide did, however, “express confidence” that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., will retain his position of power and that the Democrats hold Congress’ upper chamber.
The aide explained that because of the “bleak prospects for confirmation under a Republican majority, there will be a strong incentive to get as many confirmed during the lame duck as possible.”
The Senate is scheduled to return on Nov. 12, just after the midterm elections, and will convene for its next session on Jan. 6. The Senate is also scheduled to pass a funding bill by Dec. 11 to avoid another government shutdown.
In short, the 55 Democrats in the Senate will have to move very quickly if they want to push through Obama’s nominees, including a replacement for Attorney General Eric Holder, before Congress reconvenes in January for its 114th session.
“It would be crazy if Reid did not call them back as soon as possible and go into long hours, night and day, to process as many confirmations as he can,” the American Enterprise Institute’s Norm Ornstein told TPM.
Of course, doing this will no doubt “inflame Republicans and drive them absolutely bats**t.”
Republicans need to pick up a net six seats if they want to take control of the Senate from Democrats. Several incumbent Democratic senators, including Sens. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, Mark Udall, D-Colo., Kay Hagan, D-N.C., Mark Pryor, D-Ark., and Mary Landrieu, D-La., are scrambling to hold onto their seats Nov. 4.
