Backing Down, Sen. Mitch McConnell Agrees To Senate Power-Sharing After Threaten Filibuster

After demanding that any Senate power-sharing agreement should include protection for the legislative filibuster, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell backed down.

Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema reaffirmed their opposition to McConnell’s demand on Monday.

“Today, two Democratic Senators publicly confirmed they will not vote to end the legislative filibuster,” McConnell said in a statement. “They agree with President Biden’s and my view that no Senate majority should destroy the right of future minorities of both parties to help shape legislation.”

The 50-50 split of the Senate means that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and McConnell must establish a power-sharing agreement, also known as an organizing resolution, although the Democrats currently hold the Senate majority.

“We’re glad Sen. McConnell threw in the towel and gave up on his ridiculous demand,” said Justin Goodman, a Schumer spokesperson. “We look forward to organizing the Senate under Democratic control and start getting big bold things done for the American people.”

Prior to the organizing resolution, Schumer urged McConnell to adopt a resolution similar to the 2001 agreement between then-Senate leaders Trent Lott and Tom Daschle. McConnell, however, declined to agree to the resolution, insisting that Democrats needed to provide some reassurance that the 60-vote threshold for most major legislation would remain.

“The legislative filibuster was a key part of the foundation beneath the Senate’s last 50-50 power-sharing agreement in 2001,” McConnell said. “With these assurances, I look forward to moving ahead with a power-sharing agreement modeled on that precedent.”