Mitch McConnell re-elected Senate majority leader

Republicans re-elected Mitch McConnell as Senate Majority Leader Wednesday while Democrats tapped Chuck Schumer as their leader as both sides prepare for critical battles with the incoming Trump administration.

McConnell, 74, is a discreet but deadly master of the Senate’s legislative chess game.

Asked about the appointment of Stephen Bannon, the executive chairman of rightwing website Breitbart who has been called a champion of white supremacists, as a senior White House adviser, Schumer called the former Trump campaign chief’s rhetoric “reprehensible” but stopped short of calling for his resignation.

Now Schumer finds himself a man in the middle – a potential firewall against the agendas of Trump and a GOP congressional majority and the leader of a Senate minority with an increasingly demanding populist wing and more moderate incumbents anxious about tough re-election bids in 2018. Chuck Schumer on Wednesday to replace retiring Sen.

Republicans held control of the Senate by a 51-48 margin last week, buoyed by Donald Trump’s victory. Assuming Republicans don’t eliminate the rule allowing filibusters, Schumer should be able to keep the GOP from the 60 votes they’d need on some issues to break procedural delays.

At a meeting of House Democrats Tuesday, Pelosi told her colleagues “we’ve been through hell” with the election and that Democrats should draw contrasts with Trump, according to an aide in the room.

Schumer’s deal-making skills will bring “tremendous value” to the Senate, said Oregon Democrat Jeff Merkley.

Stabenow highlighted global trade as a possible area of cooperation. He’s widely backed among Republicans.

Senate Democrats made it official Wednesday, electing New York’s Sen. During a press conference, the NY senator announced his leadership team, which includes Sens. It ranged from liberals like Sen.

Warren will be a vice chair of the conference and Sanders will serve as the chair of outreach. Baldwin is the first gay female senator to hold a leadership role. “They felt that the government wasn’t working for them. I again want to thank the American people for placing their trust in this Senate majority and in the House majority too”.

Senate Democrats met behind closed doors this morning to elect Schumer and other members of their leadership for the next Congress.

Washington Sen. Patty Murray will take over as assistant democratic leader, while Illinois Sen.

McConnell distanced himself from Trump during the campaign, but says he’s ready to work with him. Their selections of Schumer, from NY, and McConnell are expected to produce little drama.

When it was whispered earlier this week that Senator Bernie Sanders might be stepping up as Senate Minority Leader, the senator had apparently not heard the same rumor.

Other Democrats cited a minimum wage increase, some type of immigration reform and eliminating the so-called “carried interest” tax loophole as areas where they could work together with Trump.